Modern Mining June 2022

REGIONAL FOCUS: SOUTHERN AFRICA

Multotec’s African subsidiaries have fully equipped fabrication workshops.

the copper and cobalt mines of the Copperbelt. Says du Toit: “With its big mining industry, Zambia is an extremely important market for us and we have been active on the Copperbelt for 21 years. Although Chingola will remain our base, we are alive to the fact that the centre of gravity of copper mining in Zambia is shifting from the traditional Copperbelt into North-Western Province. In response to this, we are in the process of establishing a facility in Solwezi which will enhance our services to this area.” Over the years Multotec has completed many notable contracts in Zambia, with one of the more recent ones being an innova tive hydrocyclone solution which allowed a large copper mine to develop a safe and cost-effective tailings storage facility (TSF). The gamechangers in this case were Multotec’s 250 mm GV hydro cyclones, each specially modified to make them easier to handle and manoeuvre. “At the end of the day, our success ultimately lies with the qual ity and performance of the equipment we supply and it is always heartening to receive accolades from our customers,” says du Toit. “At the recent Mining Indaba, for example, we were delighted to get feedback from one of our customers who operates a bauxite operation in Guinea in West Africa. We designed, installed and commissioned two of the biggest hammer samplers in the world at the mine and we were complimented by the COO on our proj ect management of the project, and on just how well they are working.” Du Toit says that he and his colleagues who attended the recent Mining Indaba were encouraged by the strong addresses delivered by President Cyril Ramaphosa, who gave a realistic yet upbeat assessment of the prospects for South Africa’s mining industry, and Zambia’s new President, Hakainde Hichilema, who stated emphatically that Zambia was open for business and that it was the country’s goal to increase copper production more than threefold to 3 Mt/a in the medium term. “It was great to hear such positive messages from these two leaders and it was also heartening to listen to representatives of some of the major mining houses, who generally expressed con fidence in the African mining market. Certainly, we at Multotec are very excited by the opportunities we see in Africa and are looking forward to expanding our footprint even further on the continent,” he concludes. 

26  MODERN MINING  June 2022