News

JORC REVIEW

Kindly note that the JORC website: http://www.jorc.org/index.asp  was recently amended.

The JORC Executive decided to extend the deadline for submissions as a result of agreement between JORC and ASX to provide mutual briefings of the outcomes of the consultation processes prior to any public release of information.

The date for submissions to JORC and ASX is now 27 January 2012.

19 October 2010: Russia's minerals industry took another step towards better access to global capital markets last month when it signed a protocol to bring its resource reporting systems in line with the CRIRSCO template recognised in most established capital markets.

Working in collaboration with the Committee for Mineral Reserves International Reporting Standards (CRIRSCO) – an industry group that promotes best practice in mineral reporting standards – Russia's State Commission on Mineral Reserves (GKZ) plans to make it easier for prospective investors and financiers to evaluate mining projects in that country.

Read more: Russia's minerals took another step towards better access to global capital markets ...

OneMine

Top 25 Downloaded SAIMM Papers

During the course of 2011 the SAIMM arranged access for all SAIMM members to the OneMine.org website that contains a large database of technical papers to be downloaded.

The list below shows the top 25 most downloaded SAIMM papers across the world for the period of 3 January 2010 until the 31st of August 2011.

Read more: OneMine - Top 25 SAIMM Downloaded Papers

 

                     A PROUD MONUMENT FOR CENTRAL JOHANNESBURG'S
                               SOUTH WESTERN IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT

Last weekend saw the exciting culmination of 18 months of planning with the arrival of an enormous 125 ton truck, all the way from Sishen Mine in the Northern Cape, to the city centre.

Eighteen months ago, a simple question sparked the imagination of the South Western Improvement District (SWID) board, "Why isn't there any street furniture in the SWID that speaks to mining in the present?"

With that the wheels were set in motion to source a piece of mining equipment that could become part of the SWID's mining theme. The result has been a massive donation by Anglo American and The Chamber of Mines of the 125 ton workhorse, known as a Unit Rig Mark 36 payload haul truck.

Read more: A Proud Monument For Central Johannesburg's South Western Improvement District

Ideal target is 12 500 artisans annually

Johannesburg: Friday 4th November 2011

South Africa's Further Education and Training (FET) system is better placed than ever to put state funds to good use and accelerate the delivery of critical middle-level skills – especially artisans – into the economy.

John Botha, executive director for strategy at Production Management Institute (PMI), says that with the overhaul of the FET college sector and of Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAs) by the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) over the past year, areas where interventions are most required have been identified.

Read more: No Reason To Delay R9,5bn Spend on Skills Development

                                                                               MineSAFE 2011
                                                                               Industry Awards Day
                                                                                     19 August 2011

The organising committee and all delegates in attendance at the MineSAFE 2011 Industry Awards Day held on 19 August 2011 at the Emperors Palace, Hotel Casino Convention Resort in Johannesburg would like to congratulate the following award winners on their achievement.

Read more: MineSAFE 2011 Industry Awards Day

THE SOUTHERN AFRICAN INSTITUTE OF MINING AND METALLURGY
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING AND COCKTAIL PARTY

THURSDAY, 11 August 2011 AT 16:30

The Annual General Meeting of the Institute is to be held at The Country Club, Johannesburg,
Napier Road, Auckland Park on Thursday, 11 August 2011 at 16:30 when
Professor Nielen van der Merwe will deliver his Presidential Address entitled:

‘The Role of the SAIMM and the Universities in the Future of the South African Mining Industry’
Download the invitation with full details and directions here...

1. Welcome
2. Confirmation of minutes
3. Obituaries
4. Honorary Life Fellowship
5. Brigadier Stokes Memorial Award
6. Presentation of awards, medals, and certificates
7. Presentation of student prizes
8. Annual report of the Council and accounts for the year ended 30 June 2011
9. Declaration of election of office bearers and members of Council for the year 2011/2012
10. Election of auditors and honorary legal advisors for the year 2011/2012
11. General
12. Induction of President—J.N. van der Merwe
13. Presidential address
14. Vote of thanks
15. Photographs of all Council members

The following comment was received on the December 2010 Journal paper on the retreatment by Mine Waste Solutions of residues at Buffelsfontein. If this comment is of interest to you, please visit the section on our website for the Johannesburg Branch events and Ms Mariette Liefferink’s presentation on acid mine drainage...

Read more: Comment On December 2010 Journal

Leadership required in SA platinum industry
12 October 2010

Extracts from a speech by Niall Carroll, Chief Executive Officer, RBH

A call for leadership in the South African platinum mining industry transcending vested interests, was made today by Royal Bafokeng Holdings (RBH) CEO Niall Carroll.

RBH is the wholly-owned investment vehicle of the Royal Bafokeng Nation (RBN), a 300 000-strong, Setswana-speaking community with substantial land holdings in the platinum-rich Rustenburg area of South Africa. The company holds and manages the community’s investments in platinum and chrome mining and other sectors, currently worth more than R30 billion.

Carroll’s call was contained in a presentation he delivered today at the Southern African Institute of Mining and Metallurgy’s International Platinum Conference in Sun City.

Read more: Leadership Required In SA Platinum Industry

HOW ELECTRONICS CAN RELEASE THE IMAGINATION

It is self-evident that economic pressure demands that today’s mines stay ahead and stay competitive. The challenge, however, is to find fresh approaches in the quest to attain maximum efficiency and optimal operational effectiveness.

Read more: Presidential Address: How Electronics Can Release The Imagination

IASB Discussion Paper, Extractive Activities. Comments would be welcome. Industry forums will be arranged to formalize comments from the SSC and the SAIMM”.

The International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) published today the results of an international research project on a possible future International Financial Reporting Standard (IFRS) for extractive activities in the form of a discussion paper – Extractive Activities.
A research team comprising members of the Australian, Canadian, Norwegian and South African accounting standard-setters analysed and discussed accounting for extractive activities with a wide range of stakeholders in order to identify a possible approach for a standard on the accounting for extractive activities. The discussion paper only contains the views of the project team – it does not represent the views of the Board. After considering the responses received on the discussion paper, the Board will decide whether to add the project to its active agenda.

Read full story here...

Hardcopies of the SAMREC and SAMVAL Code reprint is now available from the SAIMM secretariat.

Read more: TWP Holdings' Story of Platinum DVD

Welcome to the new SAIMM website. All members can now update their details (with a new username and password that have been e-mailed to you). The membership fee payment system will be available in the next few days  – remember to clearly reference your payment. Conference attendees can also book online. We would like to invite you to submit any feedback, comments or queries regarding our site to our manager, Ms Julie Dixon at julie@saimm.co.za or 011 834 1273.

Enjoy the site!

Topic: Mineral Resource and Reserve Reporting Codes – by Roger Dixon
Thursday 17 September 2009
17H00 for 17:30
at The South African Museum of Military History
Download the registration form
The reporting requirements of international securities exchanges are becoming ever more stringent. Whilst the South African mining fraternity have had several years of exposure to the SAMREC and SAMVAL codes, developments afoot elsewhere in the world are sure to have an impact.
Roger Dixon is currently the Chairperson of the SAMREC/SAMVAL Committee and of the Committee for Mineral Reserves International Reporting Standards (CRIRSCO).
Please join us as he discusses the principles of the local codes and some of the challenges faced by Competent Persons in complying in the current business environment.  He will also discuss developments in National Reporting Organisations around the world and the reporting requirements of international securities exchanges.

The President and Council of the Institute invite members, their guests and members of other constituent societies to attend the Annual General Meeting 2009 Thursday, 13 August 2009

The Country Club, Johannesburg, Napier Road, Auckland Park, 2006 at 16:30

AGENDA

1. Welcome
2. Confirmation of minutes
3. Obituaries
4. Honorary Fellow—I.J. Walton (awarded posthumously)
5. Brigadier Stokes Memorial Award
6. Presentation of awards, medals and certificates
7. Presentation of student prizes
8. Annual report of the council and accounts for the year ended 30 June 2009
9. Declaration of election of office bearers and members of council for the year
2009/2010
10. Election of auditors and honorary legal advisors for the year 2009/2010
11. General
12. Induction of President—J.C. Ngoma
13. Presidential address
14. Vote of thanks
15. Photographs of all council members
A cocktail party will be held after the meeting (see separate notice)

Read more: SAIMM Annual General Meeting

By A.M. Garbers-Craig
Without refractory materials most of the scientific and technological inventions and developments we know today would not have been possible. The existence of virtually everything we see around us, or use in everyday life, is in some way dependent on refractory materials. Refractories are therefore facilitating or enabling materials, and are essential to the successful operation of any industry in which high temperatures are used .
The word ‘refractory’ is derived from the Latin word, ‘refractarius’, which means stubborn . These materials resist high temperatures, have high-quality mechanical and thermomechanical properties, have high corrosion resistance, act as a heat buffer between the walls of the containing vessel and the hot charge, and conserve process heat.
Reliability and long service life are required from materials when put into operation. Refractory cost is therefore expressed in terms of tons of product produced, i.e. the cost of the refractory material is weighed against useful life and replacement cost. A refractory material is a type of engineering ceramic called an ‘industrial ceramic’ . Refractory materials, however, have
coarser grain sizes and higher porosities than engineering ceramics, and consist of aggregate particles, held together by a bonding (matrix) phase, where both the aggregate and the bond can be multiphased .
Download the full PDF here...

Read more: 2008 Presidential address: How cool are refractory materials?

At the beginning of a brand new year, one automatically reflects on the past year, and contemplates what 2009 will bring. I am sure you will agree that 2008 was a very eventful year for our industry, which started with the South African power crisis in January, and ended with the global financial crisis that resulted in an economic slowdown, currency volatility, a sharp pull-back in commodity prices and rising unemployment. Economists predict that 2009 will be a tough year, that we need to tighten our belts, and that we will have our fair share of challenges. Fortunately the majority of economists remain optimistic about the resilience of our economy, and some even predict that by the end of 2009 the South African economy might be stronger than is considered possible at present.

My wishes for us who work in the mining and metallurgical industry for 2009 is therefore that we will seize the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead, that we will persevere, strive towards excellence, capitalize on positive news and celebrate our achievements, notwithstanding the hardships. And on a more personal note: my wishes for you for 2009 are that you and your loved ones will enjoy good health, that you will find inspiration, meaning and happiness in your lives, and that you will savour the good times! May 2009 pleasantly surprise us! A.M. Garbers-Craig President