WE’RE AT OUR
PIT’S END
T
he publishers of Quarry Southern
Africa (QSA), trade magazine
publisher Interact Media Defined
(IMD), announced in May that the
publication would be shelved effective
from this July/August issue, and until
further notice.
This is a sad day indeed for QSA. The
magazine has received many favourable
comments for its focus on quality,
independent editorial aimed at readers and
the operational issues facing quarry owners
and management. The magazine’s shelving
is not simply about profitability – though
it is unlikely QSA would have been shelved
had it been making bucket-loads of money.
While many people will mourn the
closure of QSA, its departure will enable
IMD to drive greater focus on its remaining
publications – QSA is not the only magazine
it is shelving. Readers concerned about
finding similar content – and the occasional
quarry-focused article – can still find a
home within the IMD suite of publications
in African Mining.
African Mining will provide some
coverage of quarry issues, and will also
incorporate Mining Mirror with effect from
the September 2019 issue. In its statement,
IMD says: “Appropriate readers will now
be included to reach management at all
levels as well as on operational levels. The
publication and its digital version will cover
the whole of Africa, making African Mining
the only publication to fully cover the entire
continent. The last issue of Mining Mirror
will be in August 2019.
www.quarryonline.co.za
“This places the IMD mining media
platform, with decades of experience,
in a powerful position due to its solid
circulation, strong registration programme
as well as the strength of MTE [Mining &
Technical Exhibitions] and the personal
contact we offer. We are the only media
group to offer this.”
QSA’s closure is unfortunately a
tremendous loss for the quarry industry
as no other publication caters so directly
to its needs. Quarrying is a growing
and high-potential industry which
needs a public platform to get industry
information into the hands of quarry (and
increasingly other surface mining and
affiliated industry) professionals.
We would like to thank Aspasa for all
the assistance it has provided – we have
aimed to work hand-in-glove with this vital
industry organisation, as well as Institute of
Quarrying, to ensure our content reflects
the important issues facing this industry.
In conclusion, Aspasa director Nico
Pienaar adds: “It is sad when one hears
about something that worked well and
that was sought after, that is not to exist
anymore. This reminds me of the saying
‘No matter what people tell you, words
and ideas can change the world'. (Robin
Williams)."
“Aspasa has excellent relationships
with the various industry magazines
and as Aspasa has such a vast amount of
insight and information that it wants to
share, the problem arises that if one of the
mouthpieces of our small, but important,
COMMENT
Eamonn Ryan, editor
[email protected]
“Words and ideas can
change the world.’
(Robin Williams)"
industry shuts down, then we have lost
something. Aspasa is aware that things
are tough out there ‒ we feel it in our own
income – but the option to shut down
would be a disaster, so we believe there is a
need for communications with the industry.
We are very sad to see this magazine close
down, but we believe the message will still
be covered by other avenues, or even at the
end of the day that Aspasa might start its
own formal system above what it already
has. The Aspasa website is being populated,
where members can find huge volumes of
information. Those who are not members
of Aspasa, we believe are operating in the
dark.
“In the end, we as Aspasa want to say
thanks and all of the best to the owners,
the publishers and all the staff that worked
on this magazine. We trust that we will see
the magazine at some later stage and we
trust that those who are staying ‘open’, will
work closer to us. All of the best. In closing
just a last thought: ‘If you have no critics,
you’ll likely have no success.’ (Malcolm
Forbes).”
QUARRY SA | JULY/AUGUST 2019_1