First Mining Drc-Zambia March -April 2020 digital edition First Mining Drc-Zambia March - April 2020 digital | Page 4

VOL 13 | ISSUE 2 | March - April 2020 TEAM EDITOR’S COMMENT Editor Bertha M. bertham@fmdrc-zambia COVID-19 to the world- and then some Sub-Editor Nita Karume Digital Mining to unlock value, drive productivity % increase in the effective width quivalent to 2½ to 3 times that of comes with only a slight increase PEX and OPEX for any screening sts, convenient serviceability and wide support team available 24/7. In this issue... Cummins Zambia successfully commissions new coolant plant in Kitwe Pg 06 Tanzania Mining Sector…Pg 18 Exothermic cutting technology and equipment for mining Pg 28 COVER STORY: PG 10 Digital Transformation Use digital Mining to unlock value, drive productivity Digital transformation — once so singularly identified with the thoughtful alignment of enterprise infrastructure to accommodate online users — has begun to impact myriad industries, among them mining. www.fmdrc-zambia.com Contributing Writer Oscar Nkala, Mfuneko Jack Lindani Mkhize Caroline Thomas Sales and Marketing Victor Ndlovu [email protected] [phone] Isabel Isiziwe [email protected] [email protected] [phone] Advertising Consultants Meshack Ndzendevu Polite Mkhize Gladmore Ndhlovu Leslie Nyembe Production Coordinator Kholwani Dube [email protected] Graphic Design and Layout Irene Faith Omudho Art Director Augustine Ombwa Arobia Creative Consultancy [email protected] Published By Mailing Times Media Circulation/Sales [email protected] [email protected] [phone] O n 24 March 2020, President of the DRC Félix Tshisekedi imposed a state of emergency and closed the nation’s borders in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. There have been 48 confirmed cases in the country since the first confirmed patient on 10 March. The governor of Haut-Katanga province, Jacques Kyabula, issued a lockdown order on 22 March. Haut-Katanga is a copper and cobalt heartland and combined with Lualaba province accounts for almost all the DRC’s cobalt production. This is just an example of the current situation amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Furthermore, and with the virus spread increasing daily, different industries are heavily affected in every aspect. The mining industry is no different. Some of the mitigation risks as reported by the World Health Organization include-but are not limited to- proper hand washing and sanitizing, social distancing and self-quarantine for the infected individuals. Countries like DRC and Zambia have imposed increased travel restrictions, individual site management controls and screening to control access to mine sites, emergency medical preparedness, supply chain contingency plans, and working with health authorities to closely monitor local and global developments. Some of the foreseen effects of this pandemic especially as far as mining is concerned are declines in the global demand for minerals, leading to a dip in prices. This will have a serious impact on countries in Africa that rely on mining as a driver of the economy. It is still unclear how long this pandemic will last, but with the uncertainty brings closed mining sites which in turn causes loss of jobs for many people. Nita Karume Mailing Times Media (Pty) Ltd makes every effort to ensure the accuracy of the contents of its publications, but no warranty is made as to such accuracy and no responsibility will be borne by the publisher for the consequences of actions based on information so published. Further, opinions expressed are not necessarily shared by Mailing Times Media (Pty) Ltd www.fmdrc-zambia.com