Modern Mining March 2019

COVER STORY

The mining industry is seeing early signs of improvement as investors have started looking into investing in mining projects once again, particularly in South and Southern Africa, according to Richard Späth, TAKRAF Africa‘s General Manager – Technologies, but he cautions that the improving market conditions will be seen more in the medium- than in the short-term. Tenova TAKRAF AFRICA ready for January ever. “Major modifications to upgrade existing TAKRAF machines as well the ongo- ing Bradford Breaker project are just some of the work contributing to our Client Support Services’ healthy balance sheet. “An additional upside of this steady and buoyant demand for aftermarket support is the ‘breathing space’ it provides TAKRAF Africa to position itself to take full advantage of the anticipated revival of capital projects when this occurs.”

O ne of the strongest indicators of the improving market conditions, adds Späth, is the noticeable shift from feasibility study work to bankable feasibility study work. This positive sentiment is further emphasised by the cautious optimism experienced at the re- cent Mining Indaba held in February this year in Cape Town. In the meantime, says Späth, aftermarket support and spares remain TAKRAF Africa’s ‘bread and butter’ as mining companies con- tinue to focus on ‘sweating their assets’ in what remains a depressed and capital con- strained economy. In 2018, TAKRAF Africa’s aftermarket sup- port unit, TAKRAF Client Support Services, experienced its best order intake year ever, and, similarly, this year, 2019, has seen the busiest

On the projects side, while demand through- out the sector remains muted, TAKRAF Africa has been winning some interesting new contracts. “For example, we have just landed an order for a roller-supported scrubber for a marine diamond mining vessel. These scrubbers are used to break down or wash off clay and other contaminants on the hard or crystalline miner- als and rock, prior to processing. While our air environmental technologies have seen ongoing demand from the diamond sector, this sector has been generally quiet across the market for some years now and the order for this scrub- ber is an exciting indication of a strengthening diamond market. “While coal, at the moment, remains the most active sector for us, other commodities

The Kusile contract is the largest materials handling project TAKRAF Africa has received to date.

18  MODERN MINING  March 2019