Modern Mining October 2025

SUPPLY CHAIN NEWS

KSB believes trade shows are vital in the era of low-cost imports As South Africa grapples with a flood of low-cost pump and valve imports from Asia and other global manufacturing hubs, the recent IFAT Africa trade

show in Johannesburg offered a rare opportunity for local pump and valve manufacturers to prove their mettle. For KSB Pumps and Valves, one of only a few manufacturers with large-scale local manufacturing ability the event was not just about showcasing products it was about asserting capability and longevity in a fiercely competitive market. According to Hugo du Plessis, area manager at KSB Pumps and Valves, shows like IFAT are critical for customer engagement especially when less expensive imports promise much but often fail to deliver the same level of support and durability. Many importers, he explains, don’t have established agencies in South Africa, let alone support infrastructure. fragmentation size and mining costs has often been overlooked by mines, said Derick Menezes, Regional Manager: Underground Operations at BME, in a recent webinar. “Both extra fine and excessive forced rock fragmentation increase total mining costs,” said Menezes. “However, by aligning fragmentation size and distribution with the capabilities of existing loading, hauling and processing equipment, skilled drilling and blasting engineers and teams at the face can optimise blasting results.” With explosives making up between 5% and 15% of total underground mining costs, it is imperative that they provide the best possible performance, he emphasised. “By helping mines to achieve the desired fragmentation size and

KSB Pumps and Valves showcased its products at IFAT Africa trade show.

KSB by contrast leverages such events to show not only the breadth of their technology, like their newly developed locally manufactured wastewater pumping solutions but also their long-standing commitment to local manufacture after sales support and technical expertise. n

“Municipalities and contractors are still chasing the lowest price. But they end up dealing with failures, maintenance nightmares and lack of spares. If something goes wrong three years down the line who’s going to fix it? Who’s going to have parts on hand,” asks Hugo.

BME’s underground blasting innovations improve fragmentation The close correlation between

Another crucial benefit of blasting with BME technology such as AXXIS™ is reduced vibrations, which mitigates the impact of underground operations on communities and the environment, enabling mines to maintain their social licenses to operate. n

distribution, our blasting solutions also reduce operating costs downstream. This is because of improved diggability and footwall conditions, as well as reduced wear and tear on loading equipment and the need for secondary drilling and scaling,” he added. Precise blasts also contribute to improved ground control in underground mines, which has a bearing not only on productivity but on safety. “People, equipment and material travel through new areas as the mine advances, so the stability of hanging and side walls is important to safety,” he said. “By reducing overbreak and underbreak, quality blasting improves safety conditions for employees and prevents the risk of damage to equipment.” He added that better ground control also improved productivity by enabling faster access to blasted areas.

BME’s underground blasting innovations improve fragmentation and reduce mining costs.

Training unlocks performance

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38  MODERN MINING  www.modernminingmagazine.co.za | OCTOBER 2025