• MTE EXHIBITIONS
© Andrew Macnamara , Mining and Technical Exhibitions for any processing plant . Suppliers can ‘ talk to ’ relevant and key players in industries ranging from the coal sector to sand dune mining and heavy mineral sands extraction and refining ; global road , rail , sea and air commodity importers and exporters as well as specialised services and logistics across trade corridors ; alluminium smelters to paper and pulp plants ; to the technical teams of the glass industries and OEM ( Original Equipment Manufacturers ), who supply mining , forestry and agricultural machinery .
This year , Andrew Macnamara , operations director at MTE , expects to see an expanded audience base at the show as the company has driven their marketing efforts particularly hard , targeting all the varied operations in the area . He explains that all of the targeted visitors have main focus areas in common – maintenance is but one of these key drivers , where efficiency and safety are priorities and technology like pumps , valves , conveyors and generic industrial supplies are required .
Expertise due to be showcased Macnamara listed just a few of the innovations that will be showcased at the exhibition :
• Conveyor idlers , frames , belt clamps and pulley lagging
• Product movement and transfer
• Complete safety portfolio for reliable measurement of gases and respiratory protection products ; hospital technology
• Vertical spindle pumps and all steel motors for mining , chemical plant and slurry applications
• Other pumps , motors , controllers , pipes and accessories
• Retail and commercial fuels , lubricants , oils and chemical manufacturing
• Distribution of electrical , electronic , mechanical and industrial products
• Conveyor belt tracking rollers , scrapers , skirting rubber , safety roller guards and impact beds
• Valves , actuators , positioners , limit switches
• Hazardous and industrial lighting , fittings , LEDs
• Protective gear and PPE
• Training for learner miners and artisans
• Supply control instrumentation
• Abrasive manufacturer
• Total fire protection – education , fire detection , fire containment , protection and suppression
• Mining , smelter and mineral processing contractors ; furnace and industrial services
• Plant maintenance , rebuilds , mechanical fitting , turning engineering services , electrical engineering
Richards Bay MTE Expo 2022 .
© Andrew Macnamara , Mining and Technical Exhibitions
In support of local business , the exhibition is always held at the John Ross 4 College . This year the expo will be open from 1-5pm on 8 June , and visitors can expect to meet in excess of 50 suppliers offering solutions to the industry . Entrance is always free of charge , as MTE considers it a privilege , responsibility and duty to disseminate relevant business intelligence to the mining and industrial sectors of Africa .
Richards Bay MTE Expo 2022 .
Snapshot of the importance of RBCT to mining : The facts speak for themselves , says the Minerals Council South Africa , when it comes to challenges recently experienced in this region :
South African coal exports through Richards Bay Coal Terminal ( RBCT ) – one of the world ’ s leading coal export facilities – are at 1993 levels because of severe constraints on the rail and ports networks .
Barely more than 50-million tonnes of coal were delivered to RBCT in 2022 , which is 8-million tonnes less than the previous year and a country mile away from the 72 million tonnes achieved nearly a decade ago .
The mining industry is fully cognisant of the reasons for the alarming downward trend in coal deliveries to a key South African port as well as the difficulties in exporting other bulk minerals like chrome , iron ore and manganese .
In total , the Minerals Council estimates the country forfeited exports worth R50-billion in 2022 when actual railed deliveries of bulk mineral commodities are measured against target . This is a R15-billion decline from the R35-billion loss the previous year .
Transnet blames theft of cabling and a chronic lack of spares that has meant 164 of its new locomotives are standing idle . These matters are certainly compounding the constraints on rail , which is simply not being operated anywhere close to nameplate capacity and speaks to a fundamental bottleneck in performance .
To read ‘ Let the private sector get into the ring to help get SA economy back on track ’ by the Minerals Council South Africa , go to African Mining March 2023 ( joomag . com ): https :// joom . ag / Ee4d / p6
28 • African Mining • June 2023 www . africanmining . co . za