Page 63 - 25 Reasons

By Eugene Goddard
utureSmart Mining™ thinking has become
intrinsically synonymous with De Beers
FGroup Managed Operations, a core
guiding principle that “gives us permission to
operate”, says the company’s managing director,
Mpumi Zikalala.
Zikalala puts it all down to “a meeting of
minds, and taking the cue from futuristic
thinkers within Anglo American such as [group
chief executive] Mark Cutifani and [technical
director at Anglo American] Tony O’Neill”.
“Through them, we’re exposed to a lot of
what’s happening in relation to smart mining.
With its new ways of looking at mining and
implementing innovative operational
approaches, Anglo has given us the necessary
impetus to improve our methods from a
perspective of the fourth industrial revolution.”
According to Zikalala, it doesn’t just entail
efficiencies and production procedures.
“The assistance we’re receiving from our parent
company, Anglo American, also involves driving
operations in a way that will make a long-lasting
contribution to the fight against the climate crisis.”
Whether it’s construction of a new
underground facility at the company’s Venetia
mine near South Africa’s parched Mapungubwe
border with Zimbabwe, or traversing Canada’s
cold northern tundra to mine diamonds in Mpumi Zikalala, managing director of De Beers Group Managed Operations PHOTO: LEON SADIKI
sensitive Arctic areas, being environmentally
progressive has become par for the course. PEOPLE ARE to ensure that the safety of our people comes
“Over the past few years, it’s become very first.”
clear to us that we can’t work like we used to. The same goes for exploratory efforts into
We need be wise to what the world wants and THE REAL mining in Canada, Zikalala says.
what it means for the communities in which we “We know the diamonds are there, but we’re
work,” says Zikalala. also very aware that we’re working in an
“Whether it’s up north in Limpopo where the environment of extreme sensitivity. So, when we
temperature can rise to more than 40°C, or in GEMS talk about FutureSmart Mining™, it’s on a case-
Canada, where it can drop to -40°C, we have by-case basis.”
had to work very hard to add extra shine to our She says the standard of technological
operations. We have to figure out, for example, preparation at De Beers Group involves a team
how we can change over to waterless mining of innovators working hand-in-hand with
practices and be more energy efficient. IN NUMBERS sustainability professionals.
“For us, it meant immersing ourselves in This marriage of environmental awareness
innovation. We took technology and made it and progressive methods, she says, has led to
2046
part of everything we do.” 2046 successes in safely mining resources with little, if
And there are tremendous business benefits any, lasting effects on the communities and
to this approach, she says, explaining that “it THE LIFE EXTENSION OF VENETIA terrain in which De Beers Group operates.
helped get De Beers Group into a significantly “If I look at the good work we’ve done in
better space”. Canada and up north in Limpopo, I am
94m
“When one looks at all the different parts of 94m completely blown away and amazed. I find it
our business, whether it’s exploration and hard to believe that mining – until recently
ensuring that we proceed with the utmost THE NUMBER OF CARATS scorned as environmentally degrading – can be
environmental sensitivity, different technologies EXPECTED TO BE MINED done with so much sensitivity.”
have made all the difference for us.” In fact, says Zikalala, “environmental
Getting on track with global technology THROUGH THIS EXTENSION consideration, in tandem with excellence in
40
trends, she says, comes with the added benefit extraction, lies at the core of what we do
of following the exponential curve of progress 40 these days”.
and benefiting from the optimised operational The reciprocal benefit of communities buying
edge that fourth industrial revolution strategies THE PERCENTAGE OF SA’S DIAMOND into mining activities in their respective areas
are already giving the business. PRODUCTION THAT IS MINED AT has made it even more worthwhile.
Zikalala emphasises that it comes down to “De Beers has been mining in South Africa
safety and community involvement. VENETIA since 1888, but we’re beginning to think that it’s
4 365
“At Venetia, we’re going just over 1km below not the diamonds that necessarily keep us going
the existing open-pit mine and, by the time we 4 365 – it’s the communities in which we work and
start mining the resource, which could be as the people who welcome us into their worlds,
soon as later this year, we need to be 100% sure THE NUMBER OF JOBS especially once we’ve gained their trust because
that, with so much expertise and technology at VENETIA MINE PROVIDES of how we work. These people are the real
our disposal, we have done all we can and more gems.”
ANGLO AMERICAN 25 REASONS TO BELIEVE 63