Superior Industries, Inc., a US-based manufacturer and global supplier of bulk material processing and handling systems, recently completed design and manufacturing work on what they’re considering to be the world’s largest telescopic radial stacking conveyor.

The brand-new TeleStacker® Conveyor model is a 48-inch-wide by 210-feet-long telescoping conveyor (1220mm x 64m). It’s capable of building 425,000 ton stockpiles (315,000 cubic yards). Superior says the record-breaking stacker will be used to unload dry bulk ships along the Atlantic Coast in Florida.

Operators at the port will take advantage of the TeleStacker Conveyor’s PilePro™ Automation. This user-friendly, Superior designed and supported system automatically controls the stacker’s actions while building partially or fully-desegregated stockpiles. Some popular features include pile volume reporting, maintenance triggers and diagnostics screens.

In 2022, Superior is celebrating 25 years of manufacturing its famous TeleStacker® Conveyor. During that time, the conveyor has earned a reputation as the best tool for defeating costly material segregation while bulk stockpiling. Superior says it manufactures about a dozen standard sizes and is always willing to customize every inch of the conveyor for premiere performance in any application.

It’s indisputable that Nigeria’s mining sector is presently in a moribund state, despite the government’s diversification mantra.

Mining is usually referred  to as the extraction of valuable minerals cum other geological materials from the earth crust, usually from lode, vein, ore-body, seam, reef, or placer deposits.

These deposits constitute a mineralized package that is of economic interest to the prospective miner. Ores obtained via mining activity are gemstones, limestone, coal, oil shale, metals, dimension stone, clay, gravel, potash, and rock salt, among others.

Mining is required to obtain essential commodities that cannot be possibly grown via agricultural processes, or created artificially in a factory or laboratory. Mining of stones and metals has been a well-recognized human occupation since the prehistoric era.

Modern days mining processes involve prospecting for ore bodies, analyzing the profit potential of the proposed mine, extraction of the desired materials, and final reclamation of the affected land after the mine is closed.

The economic importance of mining cannot be overemphasized. In Ghana, for instance, the country’s mining sector is a very vital segment of its economy, and has played a significant role in its socio-economic development since the colonial period. Historically, the Ghanaian mining sector’s contribution to the country’s gross foreign exchange – particularly gold – has only been paralleled by its cocoa sector.

Not only do the products power the family car as well as heat the family home, the manufacturing sector, high tech industries, and even the better known resource industries, are all dependent – in one way or the other – on the mining industry.

The mining industry will continue to be an important support to the economy of any country that embraces it. Aside from boosting Gross Domestic Product (GDP), it encourages high rates of employment opportunities and equally thrives to ensure that the number of entrepreneurs in the country is increased tremendously.

In spite of the ongoing boom in the sector, Nigeria still lags behind. It’s shocking to note that notwithstanding the unquantifiable solid minerals the country is blessed with, mining presently accounts for barely 0.3 per cent of the country’s GDP, due to the influence of its vast petroleum resources.

The country’s domestic mining industry is conspicuously underdeveloped, leading to importation of minerals such as, but not limited to, iron-ore and salt, that could be domestically produced with ease. It’s a shame that the only material that’s overtime mined across the country is sand.

Rights to ownership of mineral resources is held by the Federal Government (FG) who grants titles to interested organizations to explore, mine, and sell mineral resources, but the business has hitherto been relatively unpopular.

The Chief Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration began a process of selling off government-owned mining corporations to private investors in 1999. It’s pathetic and disheartening to acknowledge that till date, those firms are ostensibly lying moribund.

On assumption of duty, perhaps piqued by the ongoing devastating physiognomy of Nigeria’s mining sector, the President Mohammadu Buhari-led government strongly assured the teeming Nigerians that the administration would rejuvenate the industry.

Little wonder the government recently approved a sum of N12.7 billion solid minerals exploration contract. Yet at the moment, pathetically no serious and practical impact has been recorded, probably owing to lack of policy direction.

It’s therefore high time Nigeria started mining the available solid mineral deposits abound in the country – to include tale, gypsum, lead, zinc, bentonite, gold, uranium, bitumen, coal, rock salt, gemstones, kaolin and barite – all which are highly lucrative and of great economic value. This can only be actualized by deploring the required techniques tactically as well as imbibing viable policies into the system.

Surface mining and subsurface (underground) mining are the available two major forms of mining. The target minerals are generally divided into two categories of materials namely, placer deposits and lode deposits. The former comprises valuable minerals contained within river, gravels, beach sands, and other unconsolidated materials, whilst the latter are those found in veins, layers, or in mineral grains widely distributed throughout a mass of actual rock.

Both classes of deposits could be mined by either of the aforesaid mining types. Moreover, in-situ leaching is another technique mainly used in mining rare earth elements cum soluble minerals like uranium, potash, potassium chloride, sodium chloride, and sodium sulfate. Of all, surface mining is at the moment much more common and viable.

However, it’s pertinent to comprehend that mining, likewise petroleum drilling, is associated with various environmental factors. These include erosion, formation of sinkholes, and loss of biodiversity, coupled with contamination of soil, ground cum surface water by chemicals from mining processes.

In some cases, additional forest logging is done in the vicinity of mines to create space for the storage of the created debris and soil. Basic examples of pollution from mining activities include coal fires, which can last for years, producing severe amounts of environmental damage.

These menaces, as outlined above, can be properly controlled through the effort of the concerned law enforcement agency by implementing stringent environmental and rehabilitation Acts as well as functional policies.

Now that diversification is apparently the only way to revive Nigeria’s troubled and epileptic economy, the governments at all levels ought to endeavour to take the bull by the horn towards ensuring that the mining industry is accorded a well-deserved attention.

Taking into cognizance the impact the said sector stands to create on the country’s economy at large, it’s needless to state that its exploration is long overdue, thus feasible policies and actions are seriously needed.

South Africa is missing out on some of the riches on offer from the commodities boom as a rail network beset by problems affects its exports.

While coal prices recently soared to a record and iron ore is historically high, miners are being forced to stockpile supplies as state-owned Transnet’s rail network buckles under issues from cable theft to breakdowns, compounded by years of corruption.

Last year alone, more than $2 billion in potential coal, iron ore and chrome exports were lost, an industry group said.

Transnet’s lines are critical for moving bulk commodities, which have rallied further during the war in Ukraine, from mines to ports.

As lost earnings mount for miners, executives are becoming more frustrated by rail failures. It has become such a headache that South Africa’s leading thermal coal shipper, Thungela Resources, is considering buying overseas assets to limit its local exposure.

“South Africa is losing money, we are losing money as an industry and we as a company are losing money,” Thungela chief executive July Ndlovu said.

“It doesn’t make sense for us to concentrate our risk on exactly the same infrastructure that has cost us as much.”

Transnet’s 31,000-kilometre network includes a route taking high-grade iron ore from Kumba Iron Ore’s giant Sishen pit in the Northern Cape to the west coast, and one from Mpumalanga’s vast coal fields to the east coast.

Companies using it also include Exxaro Resources and Glencore.

The network has become a target of thieves who take cables, disrupting operations. It has suffered from locomotive shortages and has even suspected sabotage of infrastructure.

South Africa is losing money, we are losing money as an industry and we as a company are losing money

July Ndlovu, chief executive of Thungela Resources

Bad weather and frequent locust infestations that affect traction on the iron ore line have added to the list of problems.

Transnet is among state companies that were hollowed out by mismanagement under former president Jacob Zuma.

It said it has turned to general freight locomotives to haul some coal after part of its fleet designed to transport the fuel was grounded by shortages of spare parts.

That is partly due to suspension of supplier contracts after widespread state corruption.

Coal, iron ore and chrome companies missed out on about 35bn rand ($2.4bn) last year from contracted volumes that could not reach ports, the Minerals Council South Africa said.

Even as coal prices and demand surged in 2021 on the back of an energy crunch, volumes of the fuel transported by Transnet fell to a 13-year low, said Anglo American spin-off Thungela.

The producer is among those stockpiling coal, chief financial officer Deon Smith said.

Kumba’s iron ore stockpiles totalled 6.1 million tonnes as of December, an increase of about a quarter from the previous year.

The company will maintain similar stock levels this year owing to the rail challenges, spokeswoman Sinah Phochana said.

It transported 39.3 million tonnes on the rail network last year, but wants to raise output to fully utilise its annual rail capacity that should be 44 million tonnes.

Kumba parent Anglo is open to exploring ways to help Transnet transport more, chief executive Mark Cutifani said.

“If that means we need to put a capital contribution or partner in some way, we are very open to that possibility,” he said in Johannesburg.

Improving efficiency is “at the core” of Transnet’s recovery plans, it said told Bloomberg.

It has identified areas for collaboration with customers, and one key area is prioritising investment towards growth in high-margin flows such as bulk commodities, it said.

That will become even more important owing to the effects of the Ukraine conflict pushes demand for South African supplies and prices higher.

After presenting a highly favorable feasibility study in 2004, KCA was awarded an EPCM contract for the mill and heap-leach facilities at this US $104 million gold-silver production complex.  Ocampo is comprised of a 4½ million tonne per year heap leach operation with a grinding circuit, an agitated cyanide leach, a low grade Merrill-Crowe gold processing plant, and a high grade Merrill-Crowe gold processing plant with a dry stacked tailings facility to handle 1500 tonnes per day of high-grade ore from the underground mine.

KCA completed a feasibility study for this mill/heap leach project and was subsequently awarded an EPCM contract for this US$134 million mine.  Site construction began in early 2008 and startup in 2009.  Pinos Altos includes both a 2,000 tonne per day heap leach pad and a 4,000 tonne per day Milling operation which includes an agitated leach circuit, a Merrill-Crowe extraction plant, and a CCD circuit with dry stack tailings.

Mascota is a 1.35 mtpa heap leach operation.

KCA Supplied an 375 m3/hr Adsorption Columns and Modified Zadra Pressure Strip Circuit.

KCA supplied detailed engineering, fabrication, installation and startup of the plant for the Mascota ADR recovery plant near Chihuahua Mexico

KCA was awarded the EPCM contract for this expansion project in 2015 and completed the Engineering for the project in 2016.

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The project is designed as a 5,600 tonnes per day two-stage crush, rod mill / verti-mill, filtration, mixing and agglomeration plant. The pre-existing Merrill-Crowe plant is utilized for metal extraction and the agglomerated product is blended with crushed ore from the pre-existing heap leach circuit and delivered to conveyors stacking ore onto the new heap leach pad.

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KCA completed construction and commissioning efforts of the expansion in 2017.

The 160 ct diamond is the twenty-eighth diamond of more than 100 ct to be recovered at Lulo and was mined from the same alluvial mining block as the “Lulo Rose”, the 170 ct pink coloured diamond recovered in July this year, Lucapa MD and CEO Stephen Wetherall told delegates at Paydirt’s Africa Downunder conference, in Perth.

The 160 ct diamond is the sixth largest recovered at Lulo to date.

Wetherall on Friday told delegates at the conference that Lucapa was working to discover the source of the large stones in Angola.

GAP continuously strives to make its customers’ lives easier by offering market-leading equipment and identifying demand for a pump rental service. To enhance the customer experience and meet environmental ambitions, GAP has created a high spec Pump Service. The hire company wanted a pump partner who could supply it with reliable and high-quality equipment tailored specifically for its customers’ needs while also being able to withstand the rigors of the rental market.

“At GAP we work closely with our customers to understand what equipment they require and continually look to expand our portfolio and services as appropriate,” says Richard Broughton, Head of Pumps Services at GAP. “We have entered the pump rental market with our Pump Services division and needed to source a pump OEM that could offer innovative solutions, with the ability to adapt, build, and supply a turnkey range of dewatering pumps.”

GAP Pump Services is currently operating from six locations nationwide in the United Kingdom in Tilbury, Derby, Tewkesbury, Bury St Edmunds, Warrington and Harthill with plans to open further facilities very soon.

Atlas Copco is renowned for its high-quality pumping equipment and is a trusted brand worldwide. Its energy-efficient pumps are durable, provide excellent long-life high performance, and are easy to service.

“We approached Atlas Copco and were incredibly impressed with their commitment to innovation and their ability to listen to and understand the market requirements from a modern pump rental business,” explains Richard. “We had some very specific demands, and Atlas Copco rose to the challenge.”

“At Atlas Copco, we always try to accommodate our customers’ requirements and are as flexible as possible,” says Colin Baker, Regional Sales Manager UK & Ireland at Atlas Copco Power and Flow. “GAP offered strong and loyal qualities and we are delighted to have been chosen to supply the pumps to their new division.”

“At Atlas Copco, we understand pumps, their application and most importantly the people using them. We pride ourselves in providing effective solutions that are key to our customer’s success, whilst offering sustainable and reliable products,” states Saksham Dube, Divisional Product Manager Surface Pumps.

GAP had various demands from the pumps so they would best meet the requirements of their customers. First, the pumps required engines compliant with the Stage V emissions regulations as well as being able to run on hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) fuel. The pumps also needed to have long-run fuel tanks so that GAP’s customers could remove the need for hiring external fuel tanks and therefore eliminate the risk of ground contamination. Furthermore, the pumps needed to include solar panels so they can charge batteries while on standby in remote locations.

Another key demand from the pumps was their ability to provide diagnostics. Atlas Copco pumps feature smart control panels, and the Innovative Build feature allows for exceptionally easy field service and maintenance so users can reduce downtime.

The pumps needed to be robust, with exceptional corrosion resistance, and so were supplied with galvanized frames. Finally, GAP required the canopies to be painted in its livery and branding.

“Atlas Copco’s manufacturing facility in Italy worked hard to ensure all of the special conditions were met, appropriate testing had taken place, and the pumps were delivered in time. Already more than 200 pumps have been delivered,” continues Saksham Dube.

“We are proud to offer the Atlas Copco pumps as part of our portfolio. Their value proposition is very much aligned with our needs, and we continue to work together to look at new pump builds which allows us to advance our offering and better support our customers,” concludes Richard.

Atlas Copco’s pump range has been developed as a result of over 140 years of experience with construction customers worldwide and includes small portable pumps, electric submersible pumps, centrifugal drainage pumps, high head pumps, and wellpoint surface pumps.