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Fidelity Gold Refinery opens a gold-buying office in Makaha

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Fidelity Gold Refinery opens a gold-buying office in Makaha

Fidelity Gold Refinery (FGR) has opened a gold-buying office in Makaha, Mutoko.

Makaha is an area known for small-scale mining activity and for years it had no Fidelity Agent near the area or nearby Mutoko centre. Miners were expected to travel to Marondera the capital of Mashonaland East province 148km away to sell their gold. Logically it was highly unlikely a miner would go that far to sell only a gram of gold as most if all the proceeds from their gold will be used up just by transport costs.

In a statement, the country’s sole buyer delivered the pleasant news, promising those who deliver instant cash.

“For your convenience Mutoko (Makaha) miners, we have opened a buying office at the Makaha shopping centre (Shije Building). Deliver your gold and get instant cash,” the statement read.

Fidelity has vastly improved on cash payments since the takeover of the current General Manager Mr Peter Magaramombe.

The coming in of Magaramombe has seen improved deliveries of gold to the country’s sole buyer and exporter. Gold deliveries to Fidelity Gold Refinery in the eight months to August 2022 grew by nearly 41 per cent to 22,3 tonnes from 13,2 tonnes in the same period a year ago.

The establishment of new gold buying centres across the country will boost deliveries and continued instant payments from Fidelity will surely aid in the attainment of the us$12 billion mining industry by 2023.

Cossy Rules awarded Philanthropy doctorate

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Cossy Rules awarded Philanthropy doctorate

Businessman and miner Cosmas Dhaka popularly known in the mining circles as Cossy Rules has been awarded an honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters Degree for the advancement of humanity by the International Institute of Philanthropy.

Rudairo Mapuranga

The Kadoma-born businessman, community leader, arts promoter and one of the most successful miners who own Cossy Rules Holdings is known throughout the country for his philanthropy work.

During the Covid-19 pandemic-induced lockdown Dr Cosmas Dhaka together with the Kadoma Miners Association donated food and PPE to many groups of people in Kadoma to reduce lockdown made stress and deaths in the city of gold.

Dr Dhaka has also invested in education and has over the years paid school fees for less-privileged and brilliant children at Waverly Primary School in Kadoma and also donated stationery.

Cossy Rules Holdings was awarded Mines and Mining Industry Company of the year at the Zimbabwe Business Awards held in Harare on 28 October 2022.

Speaking to Mining Zimbabwe Cossy said he had a passion for empathy and regard for the less privileged and a desire to make a difference in other people’s lives

“It is my duty to bless others as I have been blessed. I also support the government’s 2030 vision as this will indirectly or directly reduce poverty in the country,” Dr Dhaka said.

Dr Dhaka is also currently furthering his studies with a local university.

Premier ready to construct Zulu pilot plant

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Premier ready to construct Zulu pilot plant

Premier African Minerals is geared to construct its pilot plant at Zulu Lithium and Tantalum project in Fort Rixon as the area for the construction of the plant has already been cleared and is ready for commissioning.

Rudairo Mapuranga

In June, Chinese-owned Suzhou TA&A Ultra Clean Technology company agreed to provide a pre-funding amount of US$34,644,385 (“Pre-Payment Amount”) to enable the construction and commissioning of the large-scale pilot plant at Zulu.

Commenting on the prepayment agreement Premier African Minerals CEO George Roach said Suzhou TA&A pledged to dispense an initial US$3 MILLION into the commencement of the pilot project.

“Upon the signing of the Agreement, US$3,450,000 has been made immediately to Premier to commission the securing of the pilot plant. The remaining balance of the Pre-Payment Amount will be paid in one lump sum following the completion of the transaction documents. Both Premier and Suzhou TA&A have agreed to use their best endeavours to complete the definitive transaction documents within one month of the Agreement failing which on written notice by Suzhou TA&A, Premier will be required to immediately refund the amount of US$3,450,000 to Suzhou TA&A from existing funds held by Premier,” he said.

Repayment of the Pre-Payment Amount will be made by Premier from all residual funds from invoices raised by Suzhou TA&A from each monthly Accounting Period following the deduction of agreed Deductible Expenses incurred at the Zulu Project (being all costs and expenditures incurred including government royalties) and management fees to be paid to Premier until the Pre-Payment amount has been fully refunded.

The Pilot Plant

The pilot plant to be commissioned will utilise state-of-the-art sensor-based ore sorting technologies that will facilitate the separation of run-of-mine material into components and in so doing, likely increase available capacity in the flotation recovery circuits, where lithium minerals are recovered. Ultimate production and recoveries are a factor of many variables, and the pilot plant is likely to assist in dealing with these variables due to the inherent flexibility of the use of multiple ore sorters. Stockpiles of tantalum, petalite and Mica/lepidolite-rich material will facilitate further test work and flow sheet development to ensure that this material is truly inventory for later profitable recovery.

The pilot plant has a nameplate throughput of up to 190 tons per hour, however, it is planned to run at a more conservative 140 tons per hour at inception. At this rate and based on a 3-year life of the pilot plant operations only, excluding plant upgrades, tantalum recovery, petalite production and any other revenue, a series of sensitivities indicate a robust project and an assurance that Premier will become cash generative from the time of the first shipment.

Caledonia releases an updated technical report for Maligreen

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Caledonia releases an updated technical report for Maligreen

Caledonia Mining Corporation Plc is pleased to announce an update to the NI 43-101 compliant Mineral Resources statement at the Company’s 100% owned Maligreen project in the Zimbabwe Midlands and the publishing of an updated technical report with an effective date of September 30, 2022.

The 2022 Technical Report replaces the previous technical report filed on SEDAR in November 2021 as the current technical report for the Maligreen project. Since Caledonia acquired the Maligreen claims in November 2021 it has been focused on reviewing the geological work conducted at the property with a view to upgrading the Mineral Resources in 2022.

Table of Mineral Resources

Mineral Resources Effective Dates

August 31, 2021[3]

September 30, 2022

Tonnes (Mt)

Grade (g/t)

Contained Gold (koz)

Tonnes (Mt)

Grade (g/t)

Contained Gold (koz)

Measured

–

–

–

1.65

2.37

125.5

Indicated

–

–

–

6.37

1.55

316.8

Total Measured & Indicated

–

–

–

8.03

1.71

442.3

Inferred

15.59

1.88

940

6.17

2.12

420.3

Caledonia will continue to evaluate the potential of Maligreen with a view to developing the project within the context of the Company’s project pipeline taking strategic priorities into account, specifically the recently announced Bilboes project, also located in the Zimbabwe Midlands, which is a far more advanced project.

Commenting on the announcement, Chief Executive Officer Mr Mark Learmonth, said Indicated Mineral Resources supports the company’s confidence in the project and its geological prospectivity.

“We are pleased to announce an upgrade to the Mineral Resources at Maligreen. Today’s announcement which improves the geological confidence of approximately half the Mineral Resources from Inferred to Measured and Indicated Mineral Resources supports our confidence in the project and its geological prospectivity. We expect to continue our evaluation work on the project, in line with other strategic and capital priorities for the business into the future as we build an attractive project and exploration pipeline in Zimbabwe.”

Blanket Mine solar plant starts generating power

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Blanket Mine solar plant starts generating power

Caledonia Mining Corporation Plc is pleased to announce that the new solar plant at Blanket Mine from yesterday started to generate power for the Gwanda-based miner.

In recent years this supply has been subject to load-shedding and unstable power, which has economic and safety implications for an underground mine such as Blanket. During outages or low voltages, the power supply at Blanket had to be supplemented by standby diesel generators to enable uninterrupted mining and capital operations.

Diesel-generated electricity is expensive, subject to an unpredictable supply of diesel and creates an unfavourable environmental footprint. Recognising the economic, environmental and logistical challenges of running large-scale diesel generators for extended periods, Caledonia started constructing the 12.2 MWac solar plant late in 2021.  As of yesterday, the solar plant will be providing power to Blanket; in due course, it is expected that the solar plant will provide approximately 27 per cent of Blanket’s average daily electricity demand.

Commenting on the announcement, Mark Learmonth, Chief Executive Officer, said the project will cover 21 per cent of Blanket’s on-mine costs.

“I am delighted that the solar plant is connected to the Blanket grid and from today Blanket will start to receive some of its energy directly from solar.

“With 21 per cent of Blanket’s on-mine costs relating to energy usage, this solar plant is a very important project for the company as it will improve the quality and security of Blanket’s electricity supply and provide environmental benefits through cleaner energy.  The solar power will displace more expensive power from the grid and from the diesel generators and is expected to reduce Caledonia’s consolidated cost per ounce of gold produced by approximately $37.”

Blanket has been hailed by Zimbabweans in the mining business as one of the best miners in the country.

AMSZ pledges to support School of Mines Survey Department

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AMSZ pledges to support School of Mines Survey Department

The Association of Mine Surveyors of Zimbabwe (AMSZ) has pledged to support the Zimbabwe School of Mines (ZSM) Survey Department to enable the country to establish a distinguished world-class Mine Surveying industry.

Rudairo Mapuranga

The Zimbabwe School of Mines is known for being one of the best mining schools in Southern Africa and Africa at large, however, like many institutions in Zimbabwe, the school has been facing challenges due to the country’s economical challenges the country is facing.

Speaking at the AMSZ Annual Conference held at Caribbea Bay Resort in Kariba on Friday, ZSM HOD Survey Department Linton Mapasure said the school of mines has been investing in modern technologies to come up with world-class surveyors however, due to challenges in the country’s economy the equipment sometimes would not be enough for all the students thereby creating learning challenges.

“For the purpose of training, we have been investing in modern technologies. However, the equipment-for-student ratio is very low, we are therefore appealing to well-wishers to assist with equipment. We are also facing challenges for student attachment, therefore we are calling for companies to work with our students,” Mapasure said.

Speaking on the sidelines of the conference, AMSZ President Gabriel Mwale said his Association was willing to help and work closely with the school of mines survey department if they are formally engaged.

He said he was also going to work around in his personal capacity to ensure that some of the challenges of the department are attended to.

How advanced lithium-ion battery technology is being embraced by the mining industry

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How advanced lithium-ion battery technology is being embraced by the mining industry

The mining industry has traditionally utilized diesel-powered equipment as its most resilient option regardless of the heat, noise, and unavoidable pollutant emissions it creates, all of which require extensive ventilation systems to ensure worker health and safety.

However, due to advancements in battery technology, lithium-ion batteries can now take on both the heat and cold of job sites. This new technology helps to prevent disruptions to the battery and greatly increases its potential for use in various applications.

This means more industries – including mining – can embrace electrification, and modern battery-powered equipment can now withstand the inevitable harsh climates of underground mines.

There are, however, several factors to consider when it comes to ensuring that a battery is durable and rugged enough to be used underground.

Engineered for a powerful performance

Underground mines can be extremely hot and humid places to work. So much so that some people can’t comprehend the idea of batteries being able to withstand those elements. However, equipment manufacturers and end users shouldn’t make the mistake of discounting battery power.

Today’s lithium-ion batteries are being engineered with durability as a top priority. Although factors like excessive heat, strong vibrations, and exposure to moisture were previously disruptive to battery power, manufacturers like Vanguard are developing batteries that deliver optimal power performance in the harshest of conditions.

Testing capabilities for batteries have improved so battery developers can now expose their batteries to severe elements in order to ensure that they can deliver powerful, consistent performance when it matters most. Vanguard batteries are designed to operate from as low as -20 degrees C to as high as 70 degrees C.

The brains of a modern battery

Machines used for underground mining must be able to transport heavy loads for many hours on uneven terrain while withstanding intense heat, moisture, dust, and vibrations. Batteries can deliver a seamless and consistent performance in spite of these conditions thanks to the battery management system (BMS).

The BMS is the brain of the battery. It helps to monitor a variety of functions beyond just the temperature of the battery. It is also constantly monitoring charge and discharge currents and the voltages of each individual cell bank to ensure that the battery stays within its operating range.

A BMS enhances the safety and durability of a lithium-ion battery by protecting against over-voltage and low voltage, short circuits, and cold temperatures to help maintain battery life in harsh conditions.

Since the primary safety concern with lithium-ion batteries is a thermal runaway event, the BMS is a critical component. When a lithium-ion battery exceeds its maximum allowable temperature range, it can go into a thermal runaway event where the temperature rises rapidly, releasing the battery’s energy. However, proper BMS programming will prevent a battery from operating near these limits to ensure an event does not occur.

Designed to be durable

A poorly designed battery with incorrect housing in an unsafe or uncontrolled environment will have reduced battery safety, health, and power capabilities. Without a sturdy protective casing that is built to be durable and tested to withstand extreme temperatures, impact, vibration, moisture, and dirt, the battery could suffer internal degradation and damage to the cells during operation.

Vanguard battery packs are ruggedly constructed to prevent damage to the internal battery cells. The battery cells are secured within the battery casing and tested to harsh vibration profiles to ensure there is no risk to safety or performance.

Careful spacing of the cells within a battery allows for proper cooling and avoids any issues with a single cell impacting those around it. Additionally, ensuring that the battery casing is sealed in an effective manner protects the electrical componentry from impact, dust, and moisture. The Vanguard battery range has IP66 protection, safeguarding it from dust and moisture.

Improved working conditions

Additional heat production and noise are commonly associated with fuel-powered engines and add to the already challenging working conditions in underground mines.

Battery-powered machinery runs cooler and quieter, creating a more comfortable environment for mine workers while also offering enhanced health and safety benefits.

An electric future

Research and development efforts over the past few years have helped to make lithium-ion batteries more suitable for use in underground mining and other extreme environments.

With proper system management, lithium-ion batteries can combat the demanding conditions of mining, such as heat, moisture, and vibration, while also providing the performance needed to power underground machinery.

As technology around lithium-ion batteries continues to advance and more OEMs look to expand their battery power offerings, experts anticipate that more and more industries, including mining, will go electric.

Nick Moore is the director of product management – electrification at Briggs & Stratton

Kuvimba grants ZMF a tribute on it’s Sandawana claims

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Kuvimba grants ZMF a tribute on it’s Sandawana claims

Following the invasion of Kuvimba Mining House‘s Sandawana claims by Artisanal miners from across the country who were illegally mining lithium from the area and selling the stolen lithium to mostly Chinese buyers, Kuvimba has granted the Zimbabwe Miners Federation (ZMF) permission to control the area and ensure mining is done responsibly.

Rudairo Mapuranga

More than 5000 illegal miners flooded the area to plunder the lithium resource without authorization from the mine owners let alone even attempting to engage them in any way.

Following the invasion, the situation became overwhelming for Kuvimba to fully guard its mining claims from invasion leading to the miner engaging ZMF to control the situation while utilizing the resource responsibly.

In a letter written to ZMF by Kuvimba (which we are in possession of), indeed ZMF has been tributed to mine in the area.

The ZMF Media department released a Press Statement further confirming the position:

“We are pleased to confirm that ZMF has been accorded an opportunity of a lifetime by Kuvimba Mining House to lease their Sandawana Claims in Mberengwa. We take this opportunity to applaud our ZMF President for adhering to our Head of State’s mantra of ensuring that no one is left behind. Kuvimba has set precedence regarding the empowerment of the local communities where mineral resources are abundant. We also wish to promise Kuvimba Holdings that we shall work in accordance with the dictates of the mines and minerals act and the  Tribute Agreement,” reads the letter in part.

It has been reported that on Wednesday the Joint Operation Command (JOC) visited Sandawana to access the situation on the ground. The JOC team met with ZMF and Kuvimba officials. JOC was led by Minister of State for Midlands Province Hon Larry Mavima and were informed that operations will commence once registration of miners has been done and toilet and water facilities installed.

Conglomerate apologises for misconduct at mine sites

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Conglomerate apologises for misconduct at mine sites

BHP has apologised for sexual harassment, racism and bullying at mine sites and pledged more to tackle the problem, reported Bloomberg News.

“We are determined to eliminate these harmful behaviours,” BHP Chairman, Ken MacKenzie was quoted as saying. Speaking at the miner’s annual general meeting in Perth, he added: “We are committed to providing a safe, inclusive, and supportive workplace culture.”

Australian miners are under pressure to clamp down on sexual assault and harassment after a landmark inquiry unveiled shocking cases of abuse of women at companies including BHP and Rio Tinto Group, often at remote sites where staff stay for several weeks, said Bloomberg News.

The Western Australian state government agreed in September to a code of practice to improve security for remote workers.

As part of efforts to safeguard the safety of employees, BHP has spent $200m on improving security at mine accommodation, according to a pre-released copy of CEO Mike Henry’s speech.

In August last year, BHP said it had fired at least 48 workers in the past two years for sexual assault and harassment, according to a report by Miningmx.

Earlier this year, Rio Tinto released the results of a survey of 10,000 of its employees on workplace culture. It found that 21 of women at its sites had reported actual or attempted rape or sexual assault over the past five years, and more than a quarter of women had experienced sexual harassment.

The report also found that racism and bullying were widespread in both South Africa and Australia.

2022 an outstanding year for Caledonia – Learmonth

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2022 an outstanding year for Caledonia – Learmonth

Caledonia Mining Corporation PLC‘s revenues rose by 21% in the latest quarter as production from its Blanket gold mine hit another new record.

The Zimbabwe-focused miner said production this year is on course to hit the top end of its 73,000-80,000oz guidance after output rose 11% to 21,200oz in the three months to end-September.

Gross revenues in the quarter were US$107.9mln, up 21%, with underlying profits [EBITDA] of US$16.9mln, a 12% rise.

Mark Learmonth, the chief executive officer, said some of the benefits of the higher production were diluted by lower grades, while inflation also had an impact on costs.

Caledonia has been expanding its footprint in Zimbabwe with an agreement to buy the Bilboes project awaiting approval.

“Caledonia intends to re-start the oxides operation at Bilboes, under a tribute arrangement before completion of the transaction, with a view to creating a cash-generative operation within approximately six months of the commencement of activity,“ Learmonth said.

Last week Caledonia also announced the acquisition of Motapa, a large exploration property which is contiguous to the Bilboes gold project.

“2022 has been an outstanding year so far,” concluded Learmonth.

A dividend for the quarter of 14c was paid in October.

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