AFRICA NEWS
Global miner Gold Fields has signed a R6-million partnership with the School of Mining Engineering at Wits University, investing in the research and skills demanded to promote mechanised mining in South Africa. The partnership will support critical research in rock engineering, resource modelling, and mining productivity— which will feed into the success of Gold Fields’ deep-level, mechanised South Deep mine, as well as other underground operations. As part of the partnership, the School’ s Genmin Laboratories building was also renamed the Gold Fields Laboratories. Professor Cuthbert Musingwini, Head of School at Wits University’ s School of Mining Engineering, highlighted the value of collaboration between academia and the mining sector in forging South Africa’ s path towards safer, mechanised, and productive mining.
Wits University School of Mining Engineering
Wits University vice-chancellor and principal Adam Habib( left) and Gold Fields CEO Nick Holland signed the partnership agreement at the event.
Buses, extra heavies carried local truck market in November
After eleven selling months in 2017, the local truck market lagged 2.9 % behind the sales recorded during the corresponding period in 2016, with a total of 24 201 trucks having been sold by the end of November.
This is according to the latest results released by the National Association of Automobile Manufacturers of South Africa( Naamsa), Associated Motor Holdings( AMH), and Amalgamated Automobile Distributors( AAD).
“ With only one month of sales left in 2017, the industry will battle to surpass 27 000 units at the end of the year, which was forecasted to happen at the beginning of the year,” said Gert Swanepoel, managing director of UD Trucks Southern Africa.
“ The local industry held up remarkably well despite South Africa’ s stagnant economy, credit downgrades, and prevailing political uncertainty.”
Looking at November’ s sales in isolation, the medium commercial vehicle( MCV) segment was 16.7 % down on November 2016’ s performance, to 688 units. The heavy commercial vehicle( HCV) segment was slightly down by 1.7 %, to conclude the month on 471 units. Sales in the extra heavy commercial vehicle( EHCV) segment increased by 2.2 % year-on-year to 1 103 units. The bus segment had a stellar month with a 43.9 % increase in sales to 82 units, as some significant contracts were concluded in anticipation
UD Trucks
Sales in industry segments like mining and construction picked up over the past quarter.
of the upcoming summer holiday season.
“ Good sales results in the bus and EHCV segments show that companies are still willing to invest in new assets, especially leading into the new year,” said Swanepoel.“ Sales in industry segments like mining and construction have picked up over the last quarter or so, which is reflected in the positive sales results in especially the Extra Heavy segment.” ■
High-performance excavator for SA
The affordable Lovol FR220 high-production excavator is now available in South Africa, competing in the highly contested medium-sized excavator category and offering high reliability, good quality, and excellent support through South African distributor Dura Equipment Sales.
Made in Japan and assembled in China to meet the harsh, challenging African environments, the FR220 boasts a fuel-efficient six-cylinder Isuzu motor, Kawasaki hydraulics, and a KYB final drive. The Lovol machine is supplied as a full mining specification machine that meets all safety and performance requirements and is hydraulically ready to accept any attachments.
The excavator comes standard with a range of features that are usually offered as optional extras. The cab is designed with productivity and safety in mind, and offers air conditioning, ergonomically designed controls, and built-in ROPS / FOPS safety, as well as a safety grid.
The FR220 comes with a standard bucket of 1.1m 3 and a choice of short dipper( for maximum breakout force in excavation) or long dipper( for
Dura Equipment Sales effective loading) is available. The machine has also been designed for ease of maintenance with easily accessible service points. Lovol excavators come with
With top-of-the-range features and components, the Lovol offers improved costs per ton and the ruggedness and reliability of a high production excavator.
a 5 000-hours or one-year warranty, which includes four complimentary services at 250-hour intervals up to 1 000 hours. ■
4
FEBRUARY 2018