Modern Mining

Demand for switchgear is growing fast in South Africa, particularly among mines and other industrial clients using medium-voltage switchgear. With annual compound growth rates of between 7% and 12%, SA is outpacing its industrialised peers and even demand across the wider Africa and Middle East regions. A considerable amount of this new demand comes from the country's energy transition.

Talisman Metals has announced changes to its management team, greatly strengthening the company’s capability for targeted exploration work and analysis. Vernon Shein joins Talisman as Lead Geologist. Shein, a mining industry veteran with 44 years of exploration industry experience was the Exploration Manager for Bema Gold Corp. and its successor company B2Gold Corp. from 2003 to 2022.

Recognising that technology alone cannot deliver safer, more productive underground mining operations, BME, an Omnia Holdings company, has developed its Portable Training Unit to bridge the gap between theoretical learning and practical application. The realistic, hands-on training platform enables mining companies to build workforce competency, improve safety, protect production assets and strengthen operational performance—without interrupting production.

Metals Focus, a leading precious metals consultancy, has announced the publication of its Gold ESG Focus 2026 report. This offers readers comprehensive comparisons of key Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) metrics across 18 major gold miners to help provide a better understanding of these companies from an ESG perspective, alongside overall ESG trends in the gold mining industry.

Laboratory tests have been conducted by technical staff at polymer manufacturing company, igus, to compare traditional Polyoxymethylene (POM) plastics performance to 3D printed plastics. POM has been a standard engineering plastic for wear-resistant and mechanically loaded components for decades. Its strength has become the standard for components like gears, bearings and bushes, as well as other moving components.

Details ASX-listed Aurum Resources has announced the latest gold intercepts from an ongoing 100,000m diamond drilling program at its 3.22Moz Boundiali Gold Project in Côte d'Ivoire. Aurum has received assay results from 60 diamond drill (DD) holes totalling 12,251.55m, completed as a mix of infill, step-out and extensional drilling at BMT1 deposit (41 holes for 8,460.65m) and BMT2 prospect (19 holes for 3,790.90m), both of which are located on the northern half of the BM tenement (80% interest).

Learning from South African mining’s past consequences, and progressing towards a more sustainable and inclusive industry, will be the focus of the Wits Mining Institute (WMI) 2026 seminar. With the theme of ‘From Legacy to Leadership: Shaping Sustainable Mining Futures’, the annual event will take place this year at the Wits Club at Wits University in Johannesburg, on Thursday 8 October.

Tungsten West is deploying six TOMRA Mining XRT sorters equipped with OBTAIN™ Deep Learning technology at the Hemerdon tungsten mine in England, targeting ramp up to full scale production in the first quarter of 2027. With tungsten on the UK critical minerals list and Chinese export restrictions reshaping global supply, Hemerdon is positioned to become a strategically significant non-China source of tungsten for European industry.

Redpath Africa Limited is broadening its position in the market, moving beyond its traditional reputation for raiseboring and shaft work to offer clients a more comprehensive underground mine development and construction capability. Mention Redpath Africa Limited to many people in the mining industry and raiseboring is likely to be one of the first things that comes to mind. It is a capability the company has built a strong reputation for, and one that remains an important part of its offering.

VEGA exhibited at Electra Mining Africa, held at the Johannesburg Expo Centre in Nasrec. Alongside its long-standing presence in mining, VEGA is used the event to show visitors the full breadth of what its level and pressure measurement instruments do across the industries that keep Africa running: water, food and beverage, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, and oil and gas.