Capital Equipment News April 2019

EDITOR'S COMMENT

NEWTECHNOLOGIES; NEW OPPORTUNITIES

A t the time of writing, Capital Equipment News was attend- ing bauma 2019, and one of the key takeaways of our first day at the show was sustainability in mining as an opportunity. Sustainability is a trending topic today, not only in mining, but across several industries. The focus extends well beyond the areas of energy consumption and the use of resources – all industries are currently searching for alternative, low-priced and environmentally friendly raw materials and energy sources. Global discussions and technology transfers were the key factors being highlighted in efforts to successfully encourage sustainability in mining, and bauma 2019 served as the perfect platform for the focal point of mining. Less energy, fewer resources – the demands being placed on the future of the mining industry are clear. The transformation will affect all aspects of mining – in every region of the world, including Africa. For this reason, the issue of sustainability is playing an increasingly important role for the industry. The aim is not only to optimise the use of energy and resources, but also to introduce alternative energies and new technologies. Those who act fast will be rewarded ahead of competition – new energy can be produced in places where coal was once mined, or hollowed out slag heaps are turned into interesting storage sites. New technologies are not just environmentally and economically fuelling this trend, they are creating benefits for society as well. Consequently, the mining industry’s interest in sustainability is growing. For example, the coal, iron

and steel industries are transforming themselves by miniaturising drilling technologies and analysis tools. The enhancements increase the efficiency of site development and improve mining processes. This applies both to pre- and post-mining operations that require comprehensive planning. Potential can be identified and tapped by including all relevant actors in the effort. The sustainability topic was a focal point at bauma 2019. As part of a focus on mining, this year’s grand exhibition brought together all key players in the industry to showcase new technologies and trends in the coal, iron and steel industries, for example. Manufacturers like ABB, DSI, FLSmidth, Komatsu, Siemens, ThyssenKrupp Industrial, Weir Minerals, and many others, presented their innovations in that regard. By selecting sustainability, bauma 2019 focused on a real issue of the future. There is no other such venue and time where all key players in the industry have the opportunity to discuss the issue of sustainability so thoroughly. Another trend of interest at this year’s bauma was digitalisation. Discussions we had at the show illustrated that digitalisation was gaining ground in the construction machinery industry. More and more technologies are making their way into the industry. Cloud-based infrastructures, digital services portfolios and security solutions are ringing in a change of paradigm. Capital Equipment News had the privilege to marvel at initial systems, which we will discuss at length in upcoming issues.

Munesu Shoko – Editor

capnews@crown.co.za

@CapEquipNews

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