Post on 06-Mar-2016
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WRITTEN BY DON CAMPBELL
Since its founding in 2001, a strong sense of balance has purveyed the operations at Afmine (the combination of Dairyhill Investments and African Mining and Exploration). Standing out in the industry as a beacon of environmental and industrial collaboration the company is one of the strongest and it is a pillar of strength. Always with a keen ear to taking a hands on approach to his work, Derek Cockcroft, the managing director, was on hand to discuss his company’s latest developments in this deeply South African industry.
A BUSINESS AS STRONG AS Diamonds
The solution for this haulage method was developed in
conjunction with Zimplats, with a view to establishing a safe,
reliable and cost effective solution. This was achieved through
the use of Australian style road trains, able to operate under the
legislated loading parameters set by the Zimbabwean Government.
Specific legislation was passed by Government to allow the operation
of these units, measured at 42 metres long and an overall gross
vehicle mass of 160 ton.
This specialised equipment was originally sourced from Australia,
and was partially assembled locally utilising existing facilities within
the group. Hence they were able to offer a cost advantage to the client
and this operation continues to be the largest road train operation
in Africa, achieving approximately 200 million ton/kilometres per
annum.
“Since then, we have grown the services to Zimplats through the
introduction of ore rehandling, involving the introduction of both
mining and crushing equipment, in order to assist with their above
ground and underground developments,” Derek adds, “We have
also expanded the group activities into exploration drilling services,
such that we are able to accommodate most mining companies
requirements within the group.”
Afmine are heavily involved in a number of markets, indicitative
of their organic growth that they have been able to meet the
various demands of each of these different countries, which include
Zimbabwe, Botswana and Mozambique, with the most current
projects being pursued in Tanzania and Namibia.
Additionally, Afmine’s capabilities extend to contract mining and
DAIRYHILL INVESTMENTS AND AFRICAN MINING AND EXPLORATION
“In 2001 we secured a contract with Zimbabwe Platinum Mines (Private) Limited, which has subsequently become a subsidiary of Impala Platinum Holdings Limited, a listed company in South Africa,” Derek explains, “This contract was for the haulage of platinoid ore from the opencast mine operation in Ngezi to the processing plant in Selous, an overall distance of 76km.”
Customs Services is a one stop shipping, freight forwarding and customs clearing company founded in 1968 with 7 local offices and a global network representation in over 150 countries.
earthmoving, which is a medium sized operation undergoing organic
growth currently as a result of additional client requirements as well
as new projects. Specialised haulage solutions for the mining industry,
including exploration drilling:
“The equipment used here is considered to be the best in its class,”
Derek states, “The Boart Longyear LF90D diamond drill rigs as well
as RC/RAB equipment,”
Historical operations of Afmine also support the capability of
performing diamond drilling in excess of 1000 metres using blast
hole drilling, which is one of their current developments, mining
consultancy services which makes use of Afmine’s highly skilled and
practical mining experience and the significant skills they have in both
opencast and underground developments.
What Training Is Given?Up to and over 250 staff work with Afmine at any one time and
each of them adhere and follow a certain philosophy and attitude that
can distinguish one of their employees out of a crowd.
“One of our major focuses is the management of health and safety
principles within our operations, and protection of the environment,”
Derek explains, “Continual improvement of such skills is ongoing
within the organisation, with regular training courses. Our client
requirements are particularly stringent due to nature of the mining
industry and associated risks. We also continue to develop personnel
and skills through both on the job and independent educational
courses with a view to strengthening our skills base.”
Some companies place no emphasis on staff development, let
alone individual development however Derek is adamant with his
opinion to how important this particular area is to him:
“Very!” he exclaims, “Zimbabwe and Botswana have a fairly well
educated workforce but skills are still limited and Mozambique has a
very limited skill base. The future of our business lies in the abilities
of our personnel and we take their development and education very
seriously.”
Afmine’s CustomersDerek immediately strikes as one of those people who has
approached business with the intention of making a definite impact on
those he works with. Handling both staff and clients with a sincerity
that is refreshing and inspiring.
“In order to service the client fully, we ensure that we understand
their business needs from the outset,” he details, “We all undergo
continual improvement of our
services to ensure that their
needs are constantly met as their
own business develops.”
He continues, “Being an
owner/operator of business we
recognise that the success of
our business is directly related
to the success of our clients
and by maintaining a successful
relationship with the client
through proven performance, we
are able to secure a competitive
edge with repeat business.”
Along with a smooth
operation and a keen
understanding of how best to
look after staff and customers
alike, Afmine is further enhanced
by a willingness to adapt to
circumstances and learn, relearn
and reform whatever they need
to.
“With current commodity
prices, costs and production
challenges being faced by our
clients, we are required to
constantly review our work
methods and the equipment
deployed to ensure that we
are taking advantage of recent
technology developments,” he
details, “ Capital equipment
replacement is a major focus in
order to ensure that our services
are always reliable, cost effective
and safe.”
What’s In The Future?
Leading into 2013 Afmine
DAIRYHILL INVESTMENTS AND AFRICAN MINING AND EXPLORATION
are introducing a mining consultancy division which allows them to
assist in the development of the mining industry and further develop
opportunities for their group. This consultancy extends to full
management of new projects, with final handover to the client once
in productive state.
There is also the ongoing expansion of the mining services into
blast hole drilling for opencast mining projects which has expected
growth within the mining industry within Zimbabwe, Botswana and
Mozambique. All countries have massive potential for growth within
this sector, being very undeveloped in worldwide standards.
“We believe that we will be able to grow the business significantly
due to our position in all three countries. We also believe that we shall
be able to expand into other territories within the region, becoming a
sizeable player within the mining services industry,
Our aim is to effectively double the size of the business within
the next 3 years, requiring further investment of approximately $20
million. In order to achieve this, we are doing as much as possible to
develop internal skills in order to cope with the anticipated growth,
thereby ensuring no reduction in our client service principles,” he
concludes.
DAIRYHILL INVESTMENTS AND AFRICAN MINING AND EXPLORATION
00263 4 708036
WWW.AFMINE.CO.ZA
www.littlegatepublishing.com