News

The SAIMM Young Professionals Council welcomes Sihe Nhleko as YPC Chairperson 2017/2018

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Created: Friday, 25 August 2017 08:35

After serving as YPC Chairperson since the establishment of the YPC two years ago, Tshepo Mmola (right) hands over to the YPC Chairperson 2017/2018 Sihe Nhleko (left).

Many impactful projects and events have successfully been implemented by the YPC in the past two years including a Graduate Employment Database, the Mentoring Programme, Soft Skills Workshops, an annual Career and Leadership Day and highly successful conferences such as the Entrepreneurship in Mining Forum and the Young Professionals Conference.

View more information regarding the YPC: http://www.saimm.co.za/young-professionals-council

SAIMM Journal Management

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Created: Thursday, 03 August 2017 15:28

The SAIMM is adopting a new system to manage the publication of the Journal. The Open Journal System (OJS) for journal management is a free, web-based platform that has been developed by the Public Knowledge Project at the Simon Fraser University in British Columbia through its federally funded efforts to expand and improve access to research.

Our present system of handling the submissions to the Journal, the refereeing process, and the iteration that takes place between authors, reviewers, the Journal Coordinator, and proofreader is by e-mail, telephone, and paper.

Ivanplats, CanPro, and ‘Maru A Mokopane’ digitally activate communities

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Created: Thursday, 03 August 2017 13:03

For South Africa’s communities to become economically active, it is essential that they have access to information and communication technology (ICT).

The long-lamented ‘digital divide’ remains alive and well, but an increasing number of companies are realizing the benefit of fast-tracking digital access for their workforce and neighbouring communities.

CanPro, a provider of digital workplace development and monitoring solutions, recently assisted mining company Ivanplats to do just that. Ivanplats’ Platreef platinum, gold, and nickel mining project is based in Mokopane, in South Africa’s Limpopo Province. Its operations are at the heart of a large community marked by socioeconomic challenges such as youth unemployment.

SAIMM response to the Government Gazette No. 40989 of 19 July 2017

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Created: Thursday, 27 July 2017 12:36

At its meeting of 21 July 2017 your Council noted concerns expressed by some of its members regarding the Government Gazette No. 40989 that is open for written representations to reach the Department of Mineral Resources (DMR) by no later than Friday, 4 August 2017.

Council resolved that this matter does not fall within the ambit of the SAIMM’s objectives and mandate and the SAIMM will therefore not be making any written response to the DMR. However, any of our members who would like to make a written representation are encouraged to do so in their personal capacity.

Engineering active transformation

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Created: Thursday, 27 July 2017 12:02

Bluhm Burton Engineering attracts Black Economic Empowerment partner, Agile Capital.

Established in 1990, Bluhm Burton Engineering (BBE), is internationally recognised as a world leader in mine ventilation and cooling systems. Being a ‘proudly’ South African company, and acknowledging the needs of the country, BBE has long had an in-house employee development programme. This has included full-time bursaries, professional development and a share participation scheme. However to meet the time-frame of the Broad Based Black Economic Empowerment Act it was decided to search for an empowerment partner.

After being introduced to Agile Capital, the parties soon recognised the merits of the partnership. “The benefits for our company in securing the right BEE partner cannot be underestimated” says Dr Steven Bluhm, CEO: BBE Group.

This transaction will take the BBE Consulting, BBE Projects and BBE Laboratory business units to an empowerment shareholding of +30% and the BBEnergy unit to an impressive +51% black-owned as measured by the BBBEE scorecard, with significant women ownership. “We were actually ahead of the Mining Charter until the recent revisions,” notes Richard Gundersen, Managing Director: BBE Projects; “And BBEnergy is now up to level 3 on the BEE scorecard” adds Chris Nell, Managing Director: BBEnergy

The Group continues to drive skills transfer and education through the development of young engineers. The firm regularly conducts training courses for the mines, mining companies and the various associations and societies affiliated with the mining industry. The BBE Group is registered with ECSA for the ongoing development of in-house professionals.

“We are pleased to be moving towards goals set in the NDP, which calls for greater transformation and inclusivity in this sector. We believe it can only strengthen our position in the industry,” notes Wynand Marx, Managing Director: BBE Consulting. “With an experienced management team, in addition to existing contracts with several major players across the industry, the growth prospects of the Group are good.”

“We are exceptionally pleased to partner the BBE Group,” says Tshego Sefolo, CEO: Agile Capital. “Given the team’s industry expertise and track record, coupled with Agile’s acumen and solid entrepreneurial team, this is a partnership geared for considerable growth.”

South Africa’s engineering abilities remain world class, delivering complex mining and infrastructure projects. The BBE Group’s new equity partners will enable greater transformation and inclusivity in both the EPCM sector and consulting engineering sector. “We look forward to this new chapter in the BBE Group and driving the changes in our industry,” concludes Bluhm.

Incoming SAIMM President Prof Selo Ndlovu

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Created: Monday, 17 July 2017 08:48

At the AGM to be held on the 17th of August 2017 Sehliselo Ndlovu will be inducted as the SAIMM President 2017/2018.

Herewith an introduction to the second female SAIMM president since the founding of the institute as well as the synopsis of her presidential address.

SEHLISELO NDLOVU

Sehliselo (Selo) Ndlovu was born in Plumtree, Zimbabwe in 1975. Selo holds a BSc Honours degree in Metallurgical Engineering from the University of Zimbabwe; a Diploma of Imperial College in Hydrometallurgy, London, UK, and a PhD in Minerals Engineering from Imperial College. She is a Fellow of the Southern African Institute of Mining and Metallurgy (SAIMM), a rated researcher with the South African National Research Foundation (NRF), and currently holds the Department of Science and Technology (DST) and the National Research Foundation (NRF) funded SARChI Research Chair in Hydrometallurgy and Sustainable Development at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg.

Do you want to win a Squirrel?

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Created: Wednesday, 05 July 2017 10:31

P.O. Box 61127, MARSHALLTOWN, 2017 Tel: (+27)11 834 1273.
Fax: (+27) 833 8156. Web: www.samcodes.co.za

Each year the Investment Analyst Society of South Africa (IASSA), in conjunction with SAMREC, presents a (Squirrel) Award to the JSE listed Company which has produced the Integrated Annual Report most compliant with Section 12.1 (of the JSE Listing Regulations), the SAMREC Code (including Table 1) and the SAMVAL Code. Adjudication of the reports is done by a panel of experts drawn from the mining industry and the JSE Readers Panel.

The award is usually in respect of the previous year’s reporting. The Squirrel awarded in 2016 went to AngloGold Ashanti for their 2015 Integrated Annual Report. During 2017, IASSA/SAMREC awarded two Squirrels – one for companies with a market capitalization greater than R15M and one for companies with a market capitalization less than R15M. The winners of these trophies (presented in June 2017) were Impala Platinum Holdings Limited and Keaton Energy Holdings Limited, respectively, for reports submitted during 2016. They were awarded at the Business Day/ IASSA awards function held at the JSE (and presented live on Business Day Television).

So, if you want to want to win a Squirrel next year, you don’t have to do anything except compile an exceptional JSE Section 12 and SAMCODE compliant Integrated Annual Report. Our adjudication panel will do the rest. Further information can be obtained at www.samcodes.co.za.

Top Five SAIMM Journal Papers Viewed Online

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Created: Thursday, 25 May 2017 15:43

1. Finding the interface between mining, people, and biodiversity: a case study at Richards Bay Minerals by T. Ott  - Published in the SAIMM Journal January 2017

2. Characterizing a mining production system for decision-making purposes in a platinum mine by T.C. Sebutsoe and C. Musingwini- Published in the SAIMM Journal February 2017

3. Poor sampling, grade distribution, and financial outcomes by R.C.A. Minnitt -  Published in the SAIMM Journal February 2017

4. 3D geological modelling and resource estimation for a gold deposit in Mali by L. Chanderman, C.E. Dohm, and R.C.A. Minnitt  - Published in the SAIMM Journal February 2017

5. Value creation in a mine operating with open stoping mining methods by P.J. Le Roux and T.R. Stacey - Published in the SAIMM Journal February 2017

Underground Communications Infrastructure Guideline Parts 1 & 2

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Created: Monday, 22 May 2017 11:00

Underground Communications Infrastructure Guideline Parts 1 & 2

GMSG has successfully published the first two parts of its Underground Mine Communications Infrastructure Guideline: Positioning and Needs Analysis, and Scenarios and Applications. The guideline is being developed by the Underground Mining Working Group’s Communications Infrastructure sub-committee. It will provide a high-level view of the processes needed by mine owners and operators to meet planning and design requirements when creating or replacing underground mine communications infrastructure.

Battery Electric Vehicles Underground Guideline

The Global Mining Standards and Guidelines Group (GMSG) and the Canadian Mining Innovation Council (CMIC) are pleased to announce the publication of the Recommended Practices for Battery Electric Vehicles in Underground Mining Guideline. This document is meant to serve as a blueprint for original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to move forward in research and development, and references existing standards and guidelines related to battery electric vehicles (BEVs). Before this publication, there were no documents specifically related to BEVs in an underground mining environment.

The Underground Communications Infrastructure Guideline Parts 1 & 2 and the Recommended Practices for Battery Electric Vehicles in Underground Mining Guideline are available for download in the GMSG library.

For more info on GMSG’s guidelines work, please visit www.globalminingstandards.org

Obituary – Emeritus Professor C. Tim Shaw

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Created: Thursday, 04 May 2017 11:07

Professor C. Tim Shaw joined the SAIMM as a Student Member on the 14th October 1960. During his over 56 years of membership with the SAIMM Professor Shaw transferred from Student to Associate in 1966, Associate to Member in 1970 and has been a valued Fellow of the Institute since 1976.

Professor Tim Shaw, who died on Friday 21st April at the age of 82, was Emeritus Professor of Mining Engineering at Imperial College London, having retired in 2001 after being appointed to the Chair in Mining Engineering at the Royal School of Mines in 1980. Prior to that he held an academic appointment at the Virginia Polytechnic Institute. He entered the academic environment after a successful career in the South African mining industry where he reached the level of Chief Consulting Engineer with the Johannesburg Consolidated Investment Company.