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Advanced Fire Protection of Mining Vehicles

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Advanced Fire Protection of Mining Vehicles

In the mining industry, safety has always been a crucial issue – not least when it comes to fire. Therefore, it is not at all surprising that Dafo, with 100 years of industry experience, is investing heavily in fire safety of the mining industry.

The Swedish-owned family company Dafo is today regarded as one of the Nordic region’s largest suppliers of fire protection and rescue equipment. A year ago, Dafo separated its vehicle fire protection operations from its other fire protection operations to the new company Dafo Vehicle Fire Protection. Dafo Vehicle Fire Protection offers a complete range of fire detection and fire suppression systems for vehicles – from simple solutions to tailor-made systems for heavy vehicles, buses, forestry machines, port cargo handling equipment, mining, and construction machinery.

Johan Balstad, Vice President, sees fire protection as a crucial element for sustainable mining:

– Fires in vehicles often have a very intense development and are difficult to extinguish with a portable fire extinguisher. With the right dimensioned automatic fire suppression system, you get quick and effective protection that limits the consequences of a fire and gives vital time to evacuate – which can be extra important in a mine. Fire protection in heavy vehicles such as mining machines places high demands on both equipment and durability.

– The vehicles really get to operate in the toughest of environments, not least because of dust, the vibrations, and the extreme temperatures they are exposed to. Therefore, we offer high-tech customized solutions with associated service agreements. This is also why we continuously invest a great deal in the development of our products and systems, explains Johan Balstad.

Fire safety important part of operators’ sustainability work
The complexity is so extensive that Dafo Vehicle Fire Protection’s experts are also involved and assist in the design and planning of the vehicles of the manufacturer, to create well-integrated and efficient solutions. From the industry side, fire safety is often seen as a crucial issue and an important part of the sustainability work.

– First of all, you want to eliminate or minimize the risk of personal injury – that is the most important factor and where fire protection is central, Johan Balstad says and continues:

– At the same time, you also want to avoid downtime due to fires or other types of accidents, which in a mining environment can be problematic, costly, and time-consuming to rectify. Therefore, it becomes extra important that the systems and equipment work as intended.

Transition to alternative vehicles and fuels – new challenges
Dafo Vehicle’s experience, competence, and know-how have largely contributed to the entry into market after market, and today there are customers all over the world. This of course places great demands on the company’s organization, but also on continued development work of both systems and products:

– Right now, development is particularly important as we are facing a significant transition in terms of machine fuel. There is extensive electrification in the mining industry as well, and it places new demands on the fire protection equipment to some extent. A battery that catches fire through thermal runaway is not the same as the more traditional fires in diesel or gasoline-powered vehicles. Here we are placing a lot of focus right now, says Johan Balstad.

Fire protection system for electric and hybrid vehicles
Dafo Vehicle has launched a fire protection system for electric and hybrid vehicles that is activated before a fire in a battery occurs. The fire protection solution has been developed for buses but will also be available for other heavy electric vehicles.

Low, or non-existent emissions, cost-efficient operation, and reduced noise levels are some of the major advantages of hybrid and electric vehicles today but the disadvantages of the technology, when something goes wrong, are less known. Fires in lithium-ion batteries of electric vehicles usually have rapid progress and are very difficult to extinguish.

– We have followed the vehicle development closely and seen an increased need for fire protection as more electrified vehicles are being introduced to the market. Dafo Vehicle was concerned early on regarding the potential fire risks and dangers this technology would bring, which meant that we also started looking at solutions to meet the development, says Anders Gulliksson, Technical Manager, Dafo Vehicle.

Dafo Vehicle is today alone in the market to offer a complete fire protection system for electric and hybrid vehicles. The patented and award-winning suppression system was developed through the EU-funded research project Li-IonFire and initially aimed at electrified buses in public transport.

– Our system is an advanced fire suppression system with a fire prevention part integrated into the system. This means that the system can detect any temperature changes in the lithium-ion battery at an early stage and cool it down before reaching the critical “thermal runaway” state, which can result in the battery starting to burn and a fully developed fire occurs, continues Gulliksson.

High risk of toxic emissions
Anders Gulliksson explains that today there are no successful methods to extinguish a battery that has already caught fire and entered the thermal runaway stage, after an overcharge or vehicle collision. If the battery starts to burn, the highly toxic gas emits hydrogen fluoride (HF), which can cause serious damage to both the skin and the respiratory tract.

– In the long term, our suppression system can be used for various electric vehicles and areas, such as heavy-duty mobile equipment vehicles in the mining industry and ports. The main reason for this is partly to do with the high safety requirements in the industry, but also that our fire protection minimizes the risks of costly downtime that a fire can entail, says Johan Balstad.

Li-IonFire™ will significantly boost the safety of operators, the protection of valuable assets, and allow safe evacuation of drivers.

The new Li-IonFire™ fire protection system will detect potential battery failure, at the earliest possible stage and take immediate action by spot cooling, using the suppression agent Forrex EV™. This will effectively stop, or delay, a potentially hazardous situation without the fire developing further.

About Dafo Vehicle

Dafo was founded in 1919 and has developed into a modern, high-tech company committed to offer the very best solutions to its customers. Dafo was one of the first companies in the world which started to develop integrated firefighting solutions for vehicles back in 1976. Dafo Vehicle Fire Protection has three main business areas: Integration (Fire suppression systems integration into OEM production line, Retrofit (Fire suppression systems installed at final customer) as well as Service & Maintenance. The Dafo Vehicle group today consist of several subsidiaries and Dafo dealers – Dafo Vehicle Oy (Finland), Dafo US, Dafo Deutschland, Dafo Russia, Dafo Asia, Dafo Spain, Dafo UK & Ireland, Dafo Middle East, Dafo Chile, Dafo Brasil, Dafo Australia and Dafo Peru. The head office is located in Tyresö, Sweden.

EVs to compete with petrol cars by 2030, says battery maker

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EVs to compete with petrol cars by 2030, says battery maker

China’s push towards peak emissions in less than 10 years would allow electric vehicles (EV) to compete equally with standard petrol-powered cars by then, according to the head of a leading Chinese EV battery manufacturer.

“Economies of scale alone, coupled with innovation, will be sufficient to reach the parity line by 2030,” said Peng Zhou, chief executive of Octillion Power Systems, referring to China’s peak emission target year.

China, the world’s biggest producer of climate-warming greenhouse gases, aims to become carbon neutral by 2060.

Zhou’s comments came as US-based General Motors announced it is testing a variety of battery chemistries, technologies and manufacturing processes aimed at slashing costs and reducing dependence on cobalt and other expensive metals.

Tougher emission standards, more competitive EV models and a national commitment to curb greenhouse gas are driving growth, said Zhou, whose firm designs and builds customised modules for automakers and counts Total, SoftBank and Samsung Venture Investment among its shareholders.

However, one of the obstacles is the cost of batteries. “Obviously, battery cost is the main driver,” said Peng.

The competition to fine-tune technology to cut EV battery costs is the battleground for deciding the industry’s winners and losers, analysts say.

AIMING TO DIVERSIFY

Octillion, a lithium-ion supplier based in Hefei, Anhui province, supplied 10% of China’s EV battery market in the second half of 2020.

It shipped 95,191 units in 2020, up from 24,844 a year earlier, and is also aiming to diversify geographically and build on existing business in Brazil, India and North America.

GM president Mark Reuss, speaking at an investor conference, said the company is experimenting with silicon-rich and lithium metal anodes, solid state and high voltage electrolytes, and dry processing of electrodes for its next generation of Ultium batteries, due in 2025.

The Ultium, which will be used in new GM EVs such as the Hummer EV and Cadillac Lyriq, uses graphite-based anodes, nickel-cobalt-manganese-aluminium cathodes and a liquid electrolyte.

Last year, GM and Honda agreed to jointly develop two all-new EVs for the Japanese carmaker, based on the Ultium platform.

GM has said it aims to reduce battery cell cost to well under $100 per kilowatt-hour by 2025, compared with more than $150/kW today. GM executives have also said the company expects its future EV batteries to last for a million miles or more, with driving ranges of 500-600 miles between charges.

The automaker’s $2.3-billion joint venture with Korea’s LG Energy Solution is due to start producing Ultium cells in Lordstown, Ohio, in 2022. GM and LG are expected shortly to announce a second EV battery plant in Tennessee, to further support GM’s production target of 1 million electric vehicles a year by 2025.

Asian Times Financial With reporting by Reuters

Rare earth market holds its breath as Greenland votes against mining

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Rare earth market holds its breath as Greenland votes against mining

An election in Greenland that could have changed the face of the global rare earth market has been won by a party opposed to mining the valuable commodities.

With 36.6 percent of the vote, the left-wing environmentalist Inuit Ataqatigiit (IA) party was ahead of Siumut, a social democratic party that has dominated politics in the Danish territory since it gained autonomy in 1979.

The dividing line between the two parties was whether to authorise a controversial giant rare earth and uranium mining project, which is currently the subject of public hearings.

The Arctic island of just 56,000 people holds some of the world’s richest deposits of uranium and rare earth minerals – a group of 17 metals used as components in everything from smartphones to electric cars and weapons.

Exploitation of the deposits was hoped to lift the island’s economy and also boost the rare earth market, which is dominated by China. The world’s second-largest economy increased exports of the commodities by 28% in the first two months of this year as demand recovered in Europe and Japan, according to customs data cited by Argus Metals.

The IA has called for a moratorium on mining, which would effectively put a halt to the project at the Kuannersuit deposit, in the island’s south.

Snap election

Divisions over Kuannersuit originally triggered the snap election in the territory after one of the smaller parties left the ruling Siumut coalition.

One side of the Kuannersuit mountain is said to have been devastated by test drilling and the creation of an open pit by miners.

“Now that area is like all sand and just black,” campaigner Aili Liimakka Laueshe told NPR in the US. “There’s no green at all.”

Opponents say the project, led by the Chinese-owned Australian group Greenland Minerals, has too many environmental risks, including radioactive waste.

IA leader Mute Egede said on KNR public television he would immediately start discussions to “explore different forms of cooperation” before forming a coalition government.

The 34-year-old, who has been a member of the Inatsisartut since 2015, took over the reins of the left-green party a little over two years ago.

Asian Times Financial

Caledonia increases quarterly dividend

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Caledonia increases quarterly dividend

GOLD producer, Caledonia Mining Corporation, has resolved to increase its quarterly dividend to shareholders again riding on improved performance and confidence in the business outlook.

Last year, Caledonia’s total annual haul hit close to 58 000 ounces of gold, coming at a time when the Government is pushing for mining production ramp-up that is poised to see the country’s total mineral export earnings averaging US$12 billion a year from 2023 onwards up from US$2,7 billion in 2017.

The mining concern, which owns Blanket Mine in Matabeleland South province, has increased its quarterly dividend to US$0,12 from US$0,11 previously.

“The company is pleased to announce that the board of directors has declared an increased quarterly dividend of US$0,12 on each of the company’s shares,” it said.

The upgraded dividend would be paid on 31 April 2021, group chief executive officer, Mr Steve Curtis, said, adding that the quarterly dividend increase was the fifth in the past 18 months.

“This represents a cumulative 75 percent rise in the dividend since the first increase in October 2019,” he said.

Mr Curtis said the decision by the board to increase the dividend reflects Caledonia’s continued confidence in the outlook of its business.

“As we reach the end of the six-year investment programme at Blanket Mine, the anticipated combination of rising production and declining capital investment gives us confidence to further increase the dividend payment in addition to providing funding for investment in new projects, including the exploration prospects at Glen Hume and Connemara North, as announced at the end of 2020,” he said.

The New York Stock Exchange-listed mining group recently announced that it had obtained exclusive rights to explore new gold mining claims in the Connemara North area near Gweru in the Midlands province.

Connemara North is in close proximity to the Glen Hume property, which is also under Caledonia focus consideration.

The option gives Caledonia the right to explore the area for a period of up to 18 months. The firm hopes to derive favourable outcomes from this effort, which will impact positively on its overall business. Increased capacity at already existing mining houses, as is the case with Blanket Mine, is one of the key anchors expected to drive the mining sector turnaround.

The company’s 2020 strong performance comes on the back of the miner having managed 55 182 ounces in 2019.

In October last year, Caledonia signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Government, which is aimed at boosting the miner’s investment portfolio and gold production.

In the MoU, the mining concern declared and affirmed its intention to increase gold production in excess of 500 000 ounces, around 15,5 tonnes by 2030.

Further, the Government and Caledonia have acknowledged and agreed that where the firm has a specific interest in identified assets or projects towards the achievement of the target, there shall be a need to enter into specific agreements governing such assets.

 

The Chronicle

I am still in charge – Kunaka

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I am still in charge – Kunaka

Fidelity Printers and Refiners (FPR) general manager, Fradreck Kunaka, says he is still in charge at the country’s sole buyer, refiner, and exporter of gold until the board “completes the process of the proposed unbundling of the company”.

Last month, the executive told Business Times he was leaving the company at the end of his contract saying “my curtain at Fidelity is coming down at the end of the month (March) after a good relationship with the company”.

Kunaka said the proposed unbundling of FPR, which is a unit of the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe, was one of the reasons he was leaving the company.

He was, however, singing a different tune last week.

“Developments at Fidelity will be communicated through the board at [the] appropriate time but as it stands, I’m still at the helm of the organisation,” Kunaka told Business Times.

Efforts to get a comment from the FPR Board or Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe were fruitless at the time of going to print.

Well-placed sources at FPR said the delayed processes of unbundling of the company into two units-gold refining and printing and minting- gave Kunaka a new lease of life.

Under the planned unbundling of FPR, The RBZ will wholly own the printing and minting business but will retain 40% shareholding in the refining entity.

A 50% stake in the refining entity will be offered to the large-scale gold producers, while 3% and 7% will be offered to the major FPR gold buying agents and the small-scale producers through their representative bodies, respectively.

Well-placed sources at the central bank said the RBZ and Fidelity were consulting potential shareholders on Kunaka’s successor.

Kunaka has been at FPR for 20 years, six of which as general manager.

There was serious pressure, however, from other quarters for him to step aside following the decision by the government to unbundle FPR.

Some of the new shareholders were said to be wanting to bring in a new boss who they think can further their agenda.

The central bank is planning to partially liberalise the sector which has seen Fidelity being the country’s only buyer, refiner and exporter of gold for more than 40 years.

The monopoly, however, has been criticised by some who were seeking to invest in Zimbabwe’s gold sector.

RBZ is expecting that the gold producers’ compliance levels in the trading of gold will significantly increase due to the fact that gold dealers will be part of the decision-making process in gold trading.

The privatisation of FPR comes after lobbying from some players in the mining business.

However, Kunaka believes partial privatisation of Fidelity would not yield much results as there will be one entity with various players instead of various companies competing to buy gold.

FPR has been failing to pay miners for their gold delivered, resulting in them smuggling the yellow metal to alternative markets.

Zimbabwe has also been losing at least US$100m worth of gold every month due to smuggling, according to Home Affairs Minister, Kazembe Kazembe.

There have also been unfriendly policies, which have resulted in unsatisfactory deliveries to FPR.

Last year, about 19.1 tonnes of gold was delivered to FPR from a target of 28 tonnes due to smuggling.

Zimbabwe could have missed out on gains it could have harvested from record high gold prices of over US$63,000 per kilogramme for the bigger part of 2020.

As a result, some potential shareholders believe that Kunaka would not fit into new shareholders’ plans as some companies suffered during his stint at the helm of Fidelity Printers & Refiners.

 

 

Business Times

MPDM praises Rushwaya for mining equipment donations

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MPDM praises Rushwaya for mining equipment donations

Zimbabwe Miners Federation (ZMF) President yesterday donated a compressor to the Manicaland People with Disability in Mining (MPDM) Association at a handover ceremony held in Harare.

Rudairo Mapuranga

The MPDM Association praised Rushwaya for the donation and thanked her for considering their impact on the growth and development of the mining sector.

The Association received a compressor and accessories from the ZMF President as she moves towards considering special interest groups in mining like women, war veterans and the disabled.

Speaking at the handover ceremony held in Harare on Wednesday Ms. Rushwaya said the MPDM benefited from equipment donations in an effort to see small-scale miners taking the centre stage in achieving President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s vision to see the mining sector fetching US$12 billion annually by 2023.

“As we had promised we give you this compressor as a gift to recognise your role in the attainment of the President’s vision for the mining industry to achieve US$12 Billion by 2023. We thank you for coming and receiving this “gift” Rushwaya said.

Rushwaya has been on a national tour and has so far donated compressors and accessories to various mining trusts in an effort to capacitate the small-scale and artisanal miners.

She has been on a massive drive to formalise and regularise the small-scale and artisanal mining sector so that the country’s President’s vision is achieved in part through the participation of ASM.

The government is on record saying the ASM sector is a critical player in the country’s economic development as some mineral deposits are more viable for mining to small-scale mining operations. The small-scale mining sector at the moment is the country’s largest contributor to the country’s gold deliveries to the country’s sole gold buyer and exporter Fidelity Printers and Refiners.

MPDM praises Rushwaya for mining equipment donationsSpeaking at the same event MPDM chairperson and founder Mr. James Mtisi praised Rushwaya and the ZMF CEO Mr. Wellington Takavarasha for considering their input in achieving President Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa’s vision for the mining sector to achieve a revenue of US$12 Billion annually by 2023.

“We thank the ZMF President Madam Henrietta Rushwaya and the CEO for this kind gesture. With the equipment, we are going to offer more to the economy. We would want to employ many people at the same time assisting our fellow disabled.”

“Our wish has to make an impact in the economy so that we won’t be dependent on anyone. We want to help in achieving the US$12 billion roadmap,” Mtisi said.

Due to the demands and dangers of working underground, or in areas where water can pose a threat, compressed air has been an invaluable source of both energy and safety equipment for the hard-to-reach places where minerals and fossil fuels reside. Donations of compressed air systems by Rushwaya and her team will provide value to miners as they will now use more efficient methods for resource extraction.

Common Mining Applications for Compressed Air (Compressors)

Mining applications where compressed air is especially useful include:

Pneumatic Tools – Compressed air is an excellent source of energy for power tools such as drills, wrenches, hack saws and other vital mining equipment that needs to be used in the deep underground stretches of the mines.

Blasting – Compressed air systems offer safer mediums for use in blasting operations. High velocity compressed air streams can be vital in some mining situations.

Material handling – Materials like coal dust can be better handled when compressed air is mixed, allowing for fluidization. In addition, compressed air can be used in conveying material in mining as well.

Cleaning – Compressed air can also be used for purging unwanted particles from filters and other spaces amid the dirt and dust of the mining operation. It is a clean source of air and can be used effectively without the need for additional cleaning materials. This can help extend the longevity of critical mining equipment and reduce any downtime needed for maintenance.

Ventilation Systems – Compressed air has a long history of providing ventilation to increasingly deep mine tunnels. It is a safe and breathable source of air that can be used in hazardous mining environments. In addition, displacement blowers can also utilize compressed air systems for ventilation. In coal mining for example, displacement blowers are used to provide the needed air ventilation to mining sites.

Methane Gas Extraction – Methane gas buildup in a mine can be lethal. The risk for a static electric spark igniting methane as well as actually breathing the gas are both dangers for miners. Compressed air systems properly fitted and designed for use in dangerous environments can help extract the gas through the use of blowers and vacuum pumps for coal mining operations.

 

Cautious Optimism Over Muzarabani Oil And Gas

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Cautious Optimism Over Muzarabani Oil And Gas

Green Governance Zimbabwe Trust (GGZT) says oil and gas prospects in Muzarabani, despite offering unique investment opportunities, should be viewed with cautious optimism, as mineral wealth seldom translates to development.

This follows the recent signing of a petroleum exploration development and production agreement (PEDPA) between the Government of Zimbabwe (GoZ) and two Australian arms Geo-Associates and Invictus.
Geo-Associates owns the controlling stake in Invictus Energy, the Australia Stock Exchange-listed company which made significant progress in exploring oil and gas in Muzarabani.

 

In a press statement, GGZT said it has been closely monitoring development in Muzarabani where reprocessed data gathered, Mobil in the1990s shows evidence of the potential existence of oil and gas.

“GGZT views this new territory of untapped oil and gas deposits with cautious optimism despite unique and competitive investment opportunities, given that the industry has various potential downstream linkages.

“Previous experience of mining revenue- even in many resource-rich African countries, shows natural resource wealth does not always translate into sustainable economic development and improvement of human livelihoods.

“Broadly, GGZT urges government to adhere to principles of good governance, embrace Free Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC), community beneficiation, environmental degradation, and tax compliance to avoid conflict issues like the Mozambican case.

“As envisioned by GoZ is targeting energy self-sufficiency yet this cannot be a goal in itself if it does not stimulate a green industrial revolution which to sustainably implement poverty alleviation as a key priority given our low socio-economic status.

Apart from the potential for energy self-sufficiency, electricity generation, production of liquid petroleum, liqueed petroleum gas (LPG), fertilizer production and petrochemicals, opportunities which must be leveraged,” read part of the statement.

Mines and Mining Development Minister, Winston Chitando recently signed on behalf of government with the international rms involved in hydrocarbons prospecting to start a development programme for the asset.

On its part government has been touting the oil and gas prospects as a game changers, with Chitando claiming that successful exploration could see the country producing oil by next year.

Chitando said the signing of the PEDPA-which provides the framework for rapid progression of the Muzarabani oil and gas project offers value chain benefits, new investments and technologies accruing from exploration.

However, without open contracting, a globally accepted norm which boost transparency and accountability, anticipated investments of between US$15 million and US$30 million to drill two oil and gas test wells in Muzarabani by October 2021 could be without tangible benefits.

GGZT admits that general development of oil and gas can unlock foreign revenues, create jobs and boost economic growth, but urges government, based on previous experiences, to promote responsible investment.

Delays in the finalization of amendments to the Mines and Mineral Bill was also pointed as a structural barrier to successful exploitation of vast mineral wealth, with recommendations for the enactment of a Petroleum Law.

“It is without doubt that successful exploration of Zimbabwe’s oil and gas industry represents a huge,
unique and competitive investment opportunities given the signicant potential for value chain
linkages.
“GoZ must demonstrate commitment to improve the regulatory environment of the mining sector first, consult widely on the exploration of hydrocarbons, including gas with a view of setting a comprehensive Petroleum Law.

“These announcements have given rise to much excitement for ‘ordinary’ Zimbabweans hoping for improvements in their living conditions, it seems government is looking forward to billions of dollars in export revenues and foreign direct investment (FDI).

“As there has been hardly any progress in amending the Mines and Minerals Bill a key legislation, the new oil and gas subsector presents another huge opportunity for government to chart a new path of promoting good governance,” said GGZT.

 

263Chat

Ban on use of mercury: Artisanal miners oblivious of new law, others remain defiant

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Ban on use of mercury: Artisanal miners oblivious of new law, others remain defiant

A DOZEN men brave the scorching heat from a hot summer afternoon as they carry sacks of ore on their backs from a disused mine in Esigodini to an open area where a heap of bags is fast piling up.

The men — artisanal miners — are moving the ore from a mine shaft they say is between 100 to 120 metres deep, to an open field from where it will be transported to a stamp mill.

The disused mine belonged to a German mining firm that stopped operations years ago after it became unsustainable as a result of high operational costs but the mine still has gold deposits hence the artisanal miners are working there.

More than 40 omakorokoza (artisanal miners) work long hours, day and night at the disused mine searching for the precious yellow metal.

It’s a laborious job that pays handsomely for the lucky ones who strike gold but the search for the precious mineral comes with health complications for artisanal miners.

The continuous pounding of the stamp mill as it crushes the ore to separate the gold, feels the air as each group of artisanal miners readies to get to the final stages of the long process of gold extraction.

One artisanal miner Sibusiso Mlambo shows the Chronicle news crew the damage to his hands caused by handling mercury in the final stage of refining the gold.

His fingertips on both hands have retained a yellowish colour that almost obscures his fingerprints and Mlambo says this was brought about when he started handling mercury to purify gold.

In artisanal mining, mercury is mixed with gold-containing materials, forming a mercury-gold mixture, which is then heated to obtain the gold. As the mercury-gold mixture is heated, the air fills with fumes as the liquid metal evaporates — leaving behind a lump of gold.

It’s a dangerous process which can lead to significant mercury exposure and health risks.

Mlambo knows the risks of handling mercury but says he has no choice.

“We all know the risks of using mercury but it’s the only chemical readily available to us to purify our gold. We are just a group of miners who come together in the disused mine to earn a living and we can’t afford these new methods of purifying gold without using mercury,” said Mlambo.

Asked if he is aware that the use of mercury has been banned in the country as of December 2020, Mlambo shakes his head and shrugs.

“I don’t read newspapers or listen to the radio. Where will I get the time to do that? I’m always in the shafts or at the stamp mill working,” he said.

His colleague Absolom Nleya chips in.

“The Government or whoever banned the use of mercury must give us alternatives to use to purify our gold and it must be cheap and readily available otherwise we will continue using mercury as long as we can buy it here in Esigodini.

“It’s only those big companies or established miners who can afford to use cyanide to extract gold, we don’t have the money or the capacity to do that so using mercury is the quickest way to get our gold,” said Nleya.

A teaspoon of mercury costs R150 in Esigodini and the artisanal miners need about four teaspoons to purify gold from a truckload of ore.

However, the two artisanal miners are not completely oblivious of the health risks associated with mercury as they described health problems such as weight loss, body weakness and trembling hands, which they say they started experiencing after exposure to mercury over the last five years.

Mercury has been used to extract gold for centuries. It is inexpensive and simple — often allowing miners to produce gold in a single day.

Developed nations have adopted cleaner, safer alternatives for extracting gold and enforced strict rules on mercury use.

In 2016 IPEN, a Stockholm-based network of charities focusing on health and environment, collected hair samples from over a thousand artisanal miners from 25 countries including Kenya, Myanmar and Indonesia, that were tested for mercury.

IPEN found that more than 40 percent of those tested had mercury levels greater than 1 part per million — exceeding the United States Environmental Protection Agency’s safe exposure level.

High mercury levels can damage the nervous, digestive and immune systems and poison the lungs, kidneys, skin and eyes, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Pregnant women also risk giving birth to babies with congenital diseases.

Back in Zimbabwe the ban on the use of mercury presents artisanal miners with a challenge to find other means of purifying gold but the thousands of those miners scattered across the country are either unaware of the risks of using mercury or just don’t care.

What are the alternatives?

Although many miners use mercury in artisanal and small-scale gold mining, it is possible to safely and economically recover gold without it, says Tawanda Musekiwa, an environmental expert formerly employed by the Environmental Management Agency (Ema):

“There are a number of mercury-free techniques that are safer for miners, their families and local communities and the environment, which if used properly can also help miners market their gold at higher prices.

“And using these various mercury-free techniques artisanal and small-scale miners can achieve high rates of gold recovery while also protecting themselves. They vary from panning, sluicing, use of spiral concentrators, vortex concentrators to chemical leaching,” said Musekiwa.

The most common alternative to using mercury is a process known as chemical leaching, which makes use of the chemical properties of gold to leach it from crushed ore.

“This process is mostly used in large-scale mining operations but has been increasingly adopted in small-scale mining because of its high gold recovery rate.

“The best practices for chemical leaching are a combination of pre-concentration and mill leaching as they lead to the least amount of waste, a short processing time for miners and high gold recoveries,” said Musekiwa.

He however, warned that when chemical leaching is employed, it is important for miners to handle the chemicals properly and ensure that they are properly used and stored to avoid health and environmental concerns.

“Cyanide is often the preferred chemical used in leaching. Cyanide is highly toxic and great care must be taken when using it. However, in contrast to mercury, cyanide does not persist in the environment,” he said.

In December last year, Zimbabwe ratified the Minamata Convention banning the use of mercury in mining and regulatory measures for its release from industrial equipment like boilers, incinerators and power stations among others.

The convention was ratified following a motion moved by Environment, Climate Change, Tourism and Hospitality Industry Mangaliso Ndlovu in the National Assembly before its adjournment for 2020.

The Minamata Convention on mercury was adopted at the Fifth Session of the Inter-Governmental Committee in Geneva, Switzerland on 19 January, 2013 and is a global treaty whose objective is to protect human health and environment from the adverse effects of mercury.
Zimbabwe becomes the 116th country to ratify the Treaty and the 51st in Africa.

In resolving to make the bold decision to ban the use of mercury in Zimbabwe, Minister Ndlovu stated the following reasons:

“Mercury is a toxic pollutant that can circulate globally through the oceans and the atmosphere for years or even decades, and can cause significant harm to human health and the environment, sometimes very far from its point of origin. Acute or chronic exposure can be fatal; the World Health Organisation lists it as one of the top ten chemicals of major public health concern,” he said.
Zimbabwe’s most significant mercury sources are from artisanal or small-scale gold mining production, dental amalgam and waste water treatment. The country’s mercury use is already strictly controlled under a number of legislations.

Small-scale miner, Nqobani Siziba, who runs a mining operation in the Inyathi area, in Bubi District that employs an average of 30 workers reckons that it will be a hard to convince artisanal miners to completely stop using mercury.

“Each mining operation is unique and presents its own set of challenges. Artisanal miners have relied on mercury for years despite its dangers to their health and the environment.

“They go into the shafts, say for three days, get their ore crushed at a stamp mill on the fourth day and use mercury to extract the gold, sell it and share the proceeds, all in under five days. So, asking these guys to find alternative ways of extracting gold from crushed ore without using mercury is going to be very difficult,” he said.

Siziba has built concrete tanks at his mine that he uses to extract gold using the process of chemical leaching.

“Chemical leaching requires the availability of water and electricity and is preferred by established miners who are not looking at quick-fix solutions to extract gold but I must say it’s an expensive process that requires long hours of manpower on a daily basis,” he said.

According to the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe’s gold buying arm, Fidelity Printers, small scale gold miners contribute about 60 percent of the gold produced in the country annually.

Zimbabwe Mining Federation (ZMF) chief executive officer Wellington Takavarasha implored miners to adhere to the new regulations on the use of mercury.

“It’s important for miners to note that the ban on the use of mercury is a crucial move and long-awaited effort to reduce its exposure to miners and communities after so many years of rampant use and disposal into the environment. There are other alternatives that miners can use to extract gold without the use of mercury,” said Takavarasha.

Observers however, say Zimbabwe is not ready to implement the ban on mercury use because the small-scale mining sector is not yet formalised and structured for proper regulation and control.

The Minamata Convention seeks to attain effective and sustainable ways of eliminating the use of mercury by 2022.

The economy of Zimbabwe is being sustained by gold mining with artisanal and small-scale miners contributing more than the large-scale miners.

Banning mercury use without an adequate action plan will therefore have a significant effect on the economy.

What is needed is to come up with action plans that are consistent with the Minamata Convention and then train as well as provide financial assistance to the miners during the transition to mercury-free gold mining.

 

The Chronicle

Caledonia commissions US$67m Blanket mine shaft

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Caledonia commissions US$67m Blanket mine shaft

Caledonia Mining Corp. has started operations at its US$67 million Central Shaft at Blanket Mine, the company announced on Tuesday.

The shaft, which has taken six years to complete, was wholly funded through internally generated cash and will see Blanket mine’s output rising to between 61,000 ounces and 67,000 ounces this year, from last year’s record production of 57,899 ounces.

The mine expects to reach 80,000 ounces production in 2022.

“I am delighted to announce that our new Central Shaft, which is the deepest shaft of any gold mine in Zimbabwe, is fully operational,” Caledonia Mining Corp. CEO Steve Curtis said in a statement on Tuesday.

“We can now start to hoist rock, men and material on a daily basis, which will solve our hoisting constraints and facilitate the planned expansion in mine capacity targeting 80,000 ounces of gold production per year.”

Caledonia Mining Corp. also announced an increased US$0.12 quarterly dividend on Tuesday, the fifth such since October 2019. The company believes the planned increase in production, firm bullion price and cost containment will help it sustain the higher level of dividend payments.

The company’s revenues hit US$100 million in the 2020 financial year, while gross profit was US$47 million.

 

NewZwire

Zim among top global oil, gas prospects

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Zim among top global oil, gas prospects

Zimbabwe’s Muzarabani oil and gas exploration project has made it to the list of this year’s Top Five oil and gas Wildcat drilling compiled by leading global energy price, research and analysis site — OilPrice.com.

This comes after developer, Australia Stock Exchange (ASX) listed Invictus Energy, signed a petroleum exploration development and production agreement (PEDPA) with the Government of Zimbabwe.

The PEDPA marked a major milestone in the quest to explore for commercially exploitable hydrocarbons in Zimbabwe and provides the basis for accelerated progression of the Muzarabani oil and gas initiative.

Discovery of oil/gas means huge benefits for Zimbabwe’s stuttering economy, including energy self-reliance, production of petro-chemicals, Liquified Natural Gas (LNG), fertliser, increased exports and fiscal revenue among others.

Invictus has successfully raised circa US$10.4 million (A$8m), through a share placement, to fund a 2D seismic campaign, procurement of long lead drilling equipment, basin design and working capital, ahead of exploration drilling this year.

The Cabora Bassa Basin project, encompassing the Muzarabani Prospect, has entailed reprocessing and reinterpretation of a US$30 million highly promising data set gathered by Mobil in the early 1990s.

Wildcat drilling, is a form of high-risk exploratory drilling, which entails drilling for oil or gas in unproven or fully exploited areas with no concrete historic production records or has been completely exhausted as a site for oil and gas output.

“We have analysed the hottest gas prospects of 2021 and present you the Top 5, fully cognisant of the fact that in depressed times the highest impact wells might come from high-risk wildcats,” Oilprice.com said in a recent article.

The site said Zimbabwe represented arguably the most disputable project in its Top Five ranking, given it has no known hydrocarbon reserves and has routinely relied on other neighbouring countries to cater for its energy needs.

“This year, however, might alter that picture completely as appraisal activity heats up in the African nation’s Rufunsa Basin,” Oilprice.com wrote.

This comes as Invictus Energy, operator of SG 4571, has had traversing over the prospective area for site acquisition and plans seismic surveying programmes in 2021 in preparation to drill the Mzarabani-1 oil/gas test well, a 4-way dip closure spread across over 200 square kilometres.

The Muzarabani wildcat will be drilled around October-November 2021 to a total depth deeper than 4000 metres and will aim to confirm the prospect’s prospective resources of 4.5 Trillion Cubic feet.

“According to the operator (Invictus Energy), the total assessed reserves of the SG 4571 stand at 9.25TCf and 294 MMbbls,” Oilprice.com said.

Other wildcat projects include Russia’s Skuratovskaya, Cyprus’ Cronos, Indonesia’s Rencong and Lebanon’s Block 09.

Invictus Energy will invest between US$15 million and US$30 million towards drilling at least one oil and gas exploration well, before end of this year, chairman Joe Mutizwa said.

Mtizwa said the ASX listed company was highly confident about the prospects for potential discovery of commercial quantities of oil and gas in Muzarabani.

Speaking during the PEDPA signing ceremony at State House last Friday, President Mnangagwa said Zimbabwe’s oil and gas sector represented huge, unique and competitive investment opportunities given the significant potential for value chain linkages.

 

Business Weekly

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