Modern Mining May 2020

emerging mining contractors. “There is much talk about awarding mining projects to emerging contractors, but these young companies still face a variety of challenges that hin- der their success. Chief among these is the lack of technical expertise and experience, and the capacity to raise finance for the necessary capital equipment for their projects.” The company is partnering with emerging con- tractors to provide its four decades of experience in designing, engineering, building and operating its own mobile and static plants on a toll basis. “In these joint ventures, we provide the equip- ment and the technical aptitude to execute the projects. In the process, we also upskill the emerging contractors and help them develop into major play- ers in the industry.” He says B&E International uses its resources and in-house manufacturing capabilities to minimise the capital cost for its JV partners. “Our cost effective processing plant, operated on a toll basis, facilitates the entry of new players into the market. Our input gives new entrants the opportunity to get projects going by mitigating our partners’ financial and operational risk. We operate the plant at the lowest possible cost per tonne, on a continuous and sustainable basis, and assume that

Key takeaways  Pressure on margins and sustainability in the mining sector mean that mines are working more closely with their technology partners  Customers in commodity sectors such as gold, coal, aggregates, copper and diamonds are experiencing downward pressure on revenue and ever- increasing input cost escalation  Cost is an underlying driver for customisation and the South African rand has depreciated by 83% and 142% against the euro and the US dollar respectively over the last 10 years  The Fourth Industrial Revolution will allow for multiple activities to be tack- led simultaneously, in real-time and in a customised manner  Technology is opening up opportunities to provide high-level technical support remotely, through innovations such as interactive goggles linking mine personnel to the experts

key element of risk in the joint venture.” The company also offers consultancy ser- vices to mining companies, with a specific focus on the optimisation of existing operations such as upgrades and process optimisation studies. Pilot Crushtec’s Abelho says the limits of new tech- nology and materials are being tested continuously, opening up customised solutions for challanges that were previously difficult to resolve, whether it be due to cost or to technological limitations. 

feature

May 2020  MODERN MINING  31