This month’s focus
Exxaro
goes digital
T
he Belfast project took more than
20 years to develop at a cost of
almost R3.3-billion. When African
Mining visited the site, it was seven months
into construction.
According to Johan van der Bijl, project
manager, the Belfast Implementation
Project (BIP) hosts the last good-
quality A-grade, high-yield coal deposit
in Mpumalanga. The mine will start
producing thermal coal in 2020.
It will create about 6 000 direct and
indirect jobs both during construction
and the life of the mine, with almost
20 000 people benefiting. It is expected to
contribute R39-billion to the local GDP
over the life of the mine, with Nkangala
District Municipality’s GDP estimated to
gain as much as R2.1-billion per annum,
including R966-million (a full 1%
increase) of direct impact on the district
municipality.
Overall, the BIP is anticipated to reduce
unemployment in the municipal district by
2%, supporting Exxaro’s strategic vision of
powering better lives in Africa and beyond.
The new mine — which is located about 10km
south-west of Belfast, on the southern side of
46 AFRICAN MINING MAY - JUNE 2019
the N4 highway — is also the first of its kind
in South Africa to have a ‘digital twin’.
The sod-turning was attended by Exxaro
CEO Mxolisi Mgojo; Exxaro board
members Geraldine Fraser-Moleketi,
Likhapha Mbatha, Petrus Snyders, and
Mark Moffet; Mpumalanga Premier Refilwe
Mtshweni; and the Mpumalanga MEC for
Human Settlements, Norah Mahlangu.
Construction, which began seven months
ago, is expected to last 24 months in total.
Current life of mine is expected to be 17
years once operational. It will produce
2.7Mtpa A-grade thermal coal for export.
In his address, Mgojo said, “Exxaro
acknowledges that it is our responsibility
to create a future that our children and
grandchildren can be proud of. Exxaro
takes that responsibility very seriously. We
are very excited at this opportunity. But
we must acknowledge that we operate in
an environment of vast inequality, poverty,
and unemployment. Therefore, we are
mindful of the responsibility that comes
with the Belfast Implementation Forum.
This is not just about creating a new mine.
As we create, we need to consider how we
start leveraging opportunities to create
new economies,” Mgojo said.
South African coal producer
Exxaro recently broke ground at
its Belfast mine in Mpumalanga.
Edited by Leon Louw
BIP is one of the first totally connected
mines in South Africa; a truly digital
mine. According to Johan Meyer, executive
head: projects and technology, Exxaro is
running the project and the mine with a
digital mindset. “The mine will use the
latest technologies to deploy a digital mine
operations management system that will
generate insights and reports to improve
decision-making that will reduce the mine’s
cost and ensure it remains low on the cost
curve,” says Meyer.
The data we are generating will proactively
inform us of production and operational
issues, thereby increasing our productivity,”
Meyer adds.
The mine will also have a ‘digital twin’: a
complete digital replica of reality, allowing
relevant people to connect to it from
anywhere in the world. Even specialist
consultants and subject matter experts
can view the operation or data and make
recommendations without physically
visiting the mine. Benefits of this hyper-
connectivity include reduced downtime and
increased safety.
And, in the not-too-distant future, this
twin could make operational decisions on
its own, where artificial intelligence would
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