South Africa-based explosives leader BME will be showcasing its African presence, expertise and technology at the 2019 Investing in African Mining Indaba from February 4 to 7 in Cape Town; it will also highlight its strengthened presence in West Africa, which is poised to become one of the top five gold-producing regions in the world.
As Zambia’s copper mining focus shifts west from Kitwe, Ndola and Chingola to the growing operations at Solwezi and Kalumbila, blasting leader BME supplies some of the largest minerals operations in the country – with further potential for growth across the border in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
Not only do poor blasting practices erode mines’ financial bottom lines – they are also bad for the environment, according the BME technical director Tony Rorke.
Cullinan Diamond Mine, owned and managed by Petra Diamonds since 2008 and previously known as Premier Mine, is located to the east of Pretoria. The mining operation is rich in South African history as mining commenced in 1903, it employed ±14 000 people at the time of World War I and produced the 3 106 carat gem diamond, the world’s largest gem diamond to date.
After more than three decades of product evolution and advancement in its emulsion offerings, South Africa-based explosives leader BME is subsuming its well-known brands such as HEF, and Megapump under the name of Innovex.
Explosives leader BME (JSE Omnia group) has completed the acquisition of Australia-based Advanced Initiating Systems Pty Ltd (AIS), a company that BME was instrumental in establishing five years ago; the move signals a rebranding and expansion of BME’s technical services and products in Australia.
West Africa remains an exciting region for SA-based explosives and blasting leader BME, which has recently won a full blasting service contract for a new open cast gold mining operation set to become the largest producer in Mali.
Sunter was talking at explosives leader BME’s popular annual conference in Pretoria recently, where hundreds of blasting professionals had taken a day away from site for another dose of high-value input from local and foreign experts.
Africa-based blasting and explosives leader BME has taken its first steps into the US market with a number of successful test blasts making use of its cutting-edge digital initiation system, blast planning software and electronic detonators.
Blasting and explosives leader BME has broken the world record for the most electronic detonators fired in a single blast – this time in conjunction with its client Kansanshi Mining PLC at its Kansanshi operation, 80% owned by First Quantum Minerals Limited in North-Western Zambia.
