De Beers won`t use zeppelin for Botswana exploration after crash

4 October, 2007 in Botswana, Mining

source: Mining Weekly

By: Mariaan Olivier
Published: 3 Oct 07 – 17:06
Gem-miner De Beers, which temporarily suspended exploration using the zeppelin airship after it crashed in Botswana late last month, said on Wednesday that it would no longer use the airship in its prospecting programme in that country.

“At this point we think the extent of the damage to the structure is such that we will not be using this airship in our exploration project,” spokesperson Tom Tweedy said.

In September, the Zeppelin airship had been damaged by severe wind, while it was tethered to its base in the vicinity of the Jwaneng mine.

The company said, at the time, that it had suspended the [continue reading]

Africa: EU to increase trade support

4 October, 2007 in Africa, Business

source: The Standard (Nairobi)
Published on October 4, 2007, 12:00 am

By Benson Kathuri

The European Union (EU) will increase trade assistance to developing countries by Sh95 billion in the next three years.

European Commission top officials said in Dar es Salaam on Tuesday that countries in Sub-Saharan Africa, most of who are negotiating a new trade regime with the EU under the Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs), will receive most of the funds.

“These funds are used to help develop the capacity to trade in partner countries by providing training and technical assistance, supporting private sector development, meeting health and safety standards for export, and facilitating regional market building,” says a statement released by EC offices in Nairobi.

“In 2006, the continent received around 40 per cent of the total EC Trade Related Assistance (TRA), which amounted to Sh89.3 billion ( 940 million),” indicated the statement.

The announcement comes barely three months before the EU and [continue reading]

Zimbabwe: Indigenisation Bill Sails Through

4 October, 2007 in Zimbabwe

source: allAfrica
The Herald (Harare)

3 October 2007
Posted to the web 3 October 2007

Harare

THE Indigenisation and Empowerment Bill sailed through Senate yesterday and now awaits President Mugabe’s assent to become law.

The Bill – which seeks to create an enabling environment for increased participation by indigenous Zimbabweans in the economy – was passed by the Upper House without amendments.

The Senate also passed the Warehouse Receipt Bill, which provides for the establishment and registration of warehouses for storage of agricultural implements, as the Government intensifies its agricultural mechanisation process.

The Bill further provides for the establishment for the Office of Registrar of Warehouses, a public officer for the proper administration of the Act.

Speaking during the [continue reading]

Broken lift keeps 3 000 miners underground

4 October, 2007 in Mining, South Africa

source: IOL
October 03 2007 at 10:46PM

More than 3 000 mineworkers spent 11 hours trapped underground in the Elandsrand mine, near Carletonville, on Wednesday after a falling pipe column cut the power to the lift used to hoist them to the surface.

“Nobody was injured, but there was extensive damage to the steel work and electrical feeder cords,” said Harmony Gold spokesperson Amelia Soares.

Workers above ground were trying to reconfigure a second cage – usually used to carry waste – to rescue the trapped workers.

While it was expected the lift would be working in two hours, the rescue operation itself would “take quite a while” as the cage could bring only 300 workers to the surface every half hour, she said.

Mine managers were in constant contact with [continue reading]