A bacteria-rich process currently being used in Barberton, a town in the Mpumalanga province of South Africa, can help liberate ultra-fine gold locked in sulphide crystals. The experiment, called Biox technology, is happening in three mines owned by Pan African Resources. Besides these three pits, there are other five gold mines around the world currently using the biological oxidation … Read more
The company Petra Diamonds discovered one of the rarest stones in the world: a 29.6 carat blue diamond worth around $60 million. The gem was unearthed at the Cullinan mine, in South Africa. The rock, described as an “outstanding vivid blue diamond with extraordinary saturation, tone and clarity”, is the biggest of its kind ever found in the … Read more
Big ore producers operating in South Africa, such as AngloGold Ashanti, are currently facing strike notices over pay demands, the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (AMCU) revealed. This organization represents about 20 percent of South African gold-mining employees and is recalling their right to strike, despite the fact that most gold employees reached an agreement … Read more
The search for gold has always been one of mankind’s most amazing adventures, since the beginning of this activity. So it’s not really surprising to think about the curious secrets hidden by the deepest gold mine in the world: the Mponeng mine, in South Africa. Here are some of the most exciting, but also terrifying, facts … Read more
A “cultural change”: that’s what Mark Gelsomini, Dundee Precious Metals information technology director, says the mining industry needs to successfully introduce automation or robotics in mining activities. This change will be based on the buy-in of employees and will require a gradual and fully transparent introduction process so workers won’t feel alienated or threatened. Gelsomini talked … Read more
Four days ago, the world pointed the first anniversary of the police massacre that killed 34 platinum miners in the northern town of Marikana, South Africa. The disaster happened last year, on August 16, and also wounded over 75 people. “The attack reminded many people of the massacres inflicted by white supremacist forces during the apartheid era, … Read more
AngloGold Ashanti announced a new “game-changing technology” that can safely mine “all of the gold, only the gold, all the time”, said the firm’s new CEO Srinivasan Venkatakrishnan. There’s no drill and blast. Effectively it removes the seismic impact, brings a safe working environment, eliminates dilution and brings all of the gold out. AngloGold Ashanti recently announced it’s cutting … Read more
The Khanyisa power project, under development in South Africa, will be the first project of its kind in the region to use the innovative circulating fluidised-bed (CFB) technology. The news was revealed at a workshop promoted by the Fossil Fuel Foundation, attended by the project manager Julian Eslait, who works for the company Anglo American Thermal Coal (AATC). Indeed, although CFB … Read more
A conflict between competing groups in a mine located in Johannesburg’s East Rand, South Africa, caused the death of seven illegal miners, about a week ago. Besides the fatal victims, also 12 other men got seriously injured. The local police was alerted on the past Sunday (July 28th) to a violent fight between the groups, … Read more