WhyAfrica

Finding the link between geology and beer… It has become a WhyAfrica tradition to sample the local brew whenever we’re on the backroads of Africa. In Eswatini the people drink Sibebe. There's worse things in the world than a cold Sibebe on a hot and humid Eswatini afternoon, but I found the origin of the beer’s name more intriguing. Sibebe is named after Sibebe Rock, the second-largest granite dome in the world. Sibebe Rock rises to about 1480m above sea level. This massive landmark is an estimated three billion years old and formed part of the Gondwana supercontinent, making it one the of the oldest rock formations in the region. About 40km north-west of Sibebe Rock is the historic Ngwenya Iron Ore Mine, one of the oldest known iron ore mining operations in the world. Ngwenya is famous for its ancient mining activities and was used by early human societies for the extraction of iron ore long before modern mining methods were developed. Modern mining operations at Ngwenya began in the 1890s when iron ore was shipped out from Eswatini to the British Empire and to Europe.    The Ngwenya Iron Ore Mine Company was floated in the early 1900s and in the 1960s and 70s became one of the key sources of iron ore in the region, with iron ore being exported to South Africa and Europe. The mine ceased commercial operations in 1977 and today it is a national heritage site in Eswatini. So, more importantly, back to the beer... The Swazi Brewing Company launched Sibebe in 1982. Sibebe is brewed in a variety of styles, but the most well-known product is its lager, which has been a favourite among the Kingdom’s consumers. In 2018, with the renaming of the country to Eswatini, there was a greater focus on celebrating local businesses, and Sibebe beer’s role in Eswatini's cultural identity became prominent. It's link with the land and Eswatini's geology is as pronounced. Remember to follow WhyAfrica on our Overland Road Trips through Africa in 2025 as we venture further into Africa. If Africa is your business and you want to venture and expand with us subscribe to our newsletters and magazines, follow us on all social media platforms or connect with us at our WhyAfrica networking events. If you want to become a WhyAfrica partner, member, advertiser or sponsor, or if you want to join me for an African beer, contact me directly. You’ll find all my contact details on the WhyAfrica website, your one-stop-shop for on-the-ground information and business intelligence about Africa. #whyafricaroadtrips #whyafrica #geology #eswatini #africa #investinafrica  

EV Tax Break May Lure China to $27 Billion South Africa Industry. South Africa is the world’s biggest producer of manganese, mines nickel and has deposits of rare earths — all key components in the manufacture of batteries for electric vehicles. It’s also the largest miner of platinum, used in the fuel cells that power hydrogen-fueled vehicles. Buffalo Battery Metals Ltd

China’s Huaxin Cement, which expanded its footprint to Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, South Africa and Mozambique between 2020 and 2023, is on course to enter the Nigerian market and compete with the two biggest players Dangote and BUA. Huaxin is “trying to make inroads into Africa” and is likely to be “pro-expansion”, Chapel Hill Denham’s James Ola-Adisa tells me. “So, the Chinese acquisition deal could stir up more competition in the cement space with firms enticing customers with lower pricing and higher quality deals,” SBM Intelligence’s research head Bunmi Bailey says.

The highlight of WhyAfrica’s 2024 Road Trip through South Africa, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Malawi, Tanzania and Kenya was visiting all three of mining giant Barrick’s gold projects in Tanzania. Barrick has been operating the Buzwagi, Bulyanhulu and North Mara gold mines in Tanzania since 1999, originally through its subsidiary Acacia Mining. Barrick acquired Acacia in 2019 and today the company is one of the largest foreign investors in Tanzania's mining sector. Although it was never a smooth ride for Acacia Mining in Tanzania, the relationship broke down completely under now deceased President John Magufuli which resulted in several legal and financial disputes. In 2019, Barrick reached an agreement with the Tanzanian government. The agreement resulted in the establishment of a new operating company called Twiga Minerals Corporation (Twiga) to manage Bulyanhulu, North Mara and Buzwagi. In terms of the agreement the Tanzanian government were given a 16% stake in all three mines. In return, the Tanzanian government lifted its export ban on mineral concentrates and resolved many of the legal issues that had clouded the relationship between Acacia (later Barrick) and Tanzania. Barrick’s impact in Tanzania is significant. Since the Twiga deal this Joint Venture has contributed almost 51% of the government’s revenue from the entire Tanzania extractive industry (according to the latest report from the Tanzania Extractive Industry Transparency Initiative).   In picture is the team at Bulyanhulu with a copy of the WhyAfrica Road Trip magazine. This magazine travelled 9000km with us through Africa and we handed out printed copies at all 30 project sites that we visited and to the 45 plus decision makers that we interviewed including (amongst others) CEOs, ministers, general managers, geologists and procurement and environmental managers. Read more about Barrick, the company’s massive impact on Africa mining and about its continued exploration push in Tanzania in the exclusive January issue of the WhyAfrica magazine. This magazine will be available in digital format and print. The digital copy will be on display on the homepage of the WhyAfrica website for three months, while the exclusive printed copies will be handed out at handpicked, impactful events focussing on Africa as well as to all captains of industry we interview throughout 2025.     WhyAfrica would like to thank Barrick and all the staff members at Buzwagi, Bulyanhulu and North Mara for their warm hospitality and amazing welcome. Being on the ground and in the company of passionate and loyal mining professionals and geologists for five full days in Barrick’s amazing mining villages in Tanzania was an incredible experience.   WhyAfrica’s next Road Trip through Africa departs again on 15 August 2025. If you or your company would like to be a part of the 2025 WhyAfrica Road Trip story, contact us asap.    WhyAfrica Barrick SALLY LE ROUX #whyafricaroadtrips #whyafrica

The annual World Malaria report for 2024 found that over the past two decades, Southern Africa has made remarkable strides in the fight against malaria, with countries like eSwatini leading the way – reducing cases to below 600 and deaths to just seven in 2023. WhyAfrica visited Eswatini recently as part of one of our shorter WhyAfrica Road Trips. In South Africa, cases declined from over 18 000 recorded in 2000 to 5 291 reported cases in 2023 and deaths dropped from 26 000 to 64 in the same period. However, despite this decade’s long improvement, South Africa experienced a surge in the number of malaria cases and deaths in 2023 compared to the 2 043 cases and 29 deaths reported in 2022. Several emerging risks threaten progress in reducing malaria incidence. These include persistent funding shortfalls, fragile health systems, and escalating biological challenges such as drug and insecticide resistance. Environmental factors are also playing an increasingly critical role, with natural disasters, sustained heatwaves like those recently experienced in South Africa with temperatures consistently in the mid-30s, and the broader impacts of the advancing climate crisis contributing to conditions favourable for malaria transmission. The WHO report found that global investments in malaria control, in 2023, reached an estimated $4 billion, falling significantly short of the $8.3 billion funding target set by the WHO Global Malaria Strategy. This funding gap has steadily widened over the past five years, posing a significant threat to progress in malaria elimination, as sustained funding is essential to supporting diagnostics, treatment, and prevention efforts. Without adequate investment, the advancements made in combating malaria risk stalling or even regressing. The importance of partnerships to bolster contributions to such critical malaria funding therefore cannot be overstated, strengthening their capacity and expanding access to life-saving interventions. For instance, in 2020, Goodbye Malaria – supported by partners including Nando’s, Vodacom and Airports Company South Africa (ACSA) raised a remarkable R85 million for the Global Fund to sustain the MOSASWA (Mozambique, South Africa and eSwatini) regional grant for the 2020-2023 grant cycle. To read the full article click on the link below or visit the WhyAfrica website, your one-stop-shop for on the ground information and business intelligence about Africa. Leon Louw Goodbye Malaria Vodacom Airports Company South Africa #whyafricaroadtrips #whyafrica #africa   https://lnkd.in/dD9bZMDJ

Last month Dubai based AMEA Power commissioned its 500MW Abydos Solar PV Plant in the Aswan Governorate of Egypt. AMEA also signed a Power Purchase Agreement and Land Agreement for an additional 500MW wind project in Egypt. The Abydos Solar PV Plant will generate approximately 1,500GWh of clean energy annually, enough to power approximately 300,000 households, while offsetting 782,300 tons of CO2 emissions. The project was completed in just 18 months. More than 3,000 personnel on site contributed to the solar plant’s construction, highlighting the strong focus on job creation and local collaboration. The project was financed by the International Finance Corporation (IFC), Dutch Entrepreneurial Development Bank (FMO), and Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). According to Hussain Al Nowais, Chairman of AMEA Power, the solar power plant is a significant step in Egypt’s renewable energy strategy, supporting the goal of achieving 42% of energy generation from renewables by 2030. In September 2024, AMEA Power was awarded two additional groundbreaking projects in Egypt. The first, a 1,000MW solar PV with a 600MWh battery energy storage system (BESS), will be the largest project of its kind in Africa once commissioned. The second, a 300MWh BESS, is an extension of the company’s existing 500MW Abydos solar PV plant. The project will pioneer the first-ever use of a utility-scale BESS solution in Egypt. Furthermore, the 500MW Amunet Wind Farm, located in Ras Ghareb, is currently under construction and is expected to be operational in the first quarter of 2025. To read the full article click on the link below or visit the WhyAfrica website, your one-stop-shop for on-the-ground information and business intelligence about Africa.   WhyAfrica specialises in the conservation, sustainable use and responsible extraction of Africa’s natural resources.   We focus on mining and mineral exploration, critical minerals, biodiversity conservation, environmental management, natural resource management, the wildlife economy and rural development.   We also look at the impact extreme weather events, climate change, technology, the African Continental Free Trade Area, African politics, geopolitics and ESG considerations have on your business and investments in Africa.         WhyAfrica supports the empowerment of African communities, especially women and the youth, through sustainable development projects.   #whyafrica #whyafricaroadtrips #africa #mining #exploration #quarrying #equipment #agriculture #farming #forestry #ESG #infrastructure #watermanagement #energy #tourism #sustainability #carbonemissions #naturalresources #environment #naturalresourcemangement   Image credit: AMEA Power   AMEA Power Leon Louw IFC - International Finance Corporation FMO - Dutch entrepreneurial development bank Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).   https://lnkd.in/dHjAqSUr 

We have a problem in Southern Africa of continuous drought & a lack of dams for irrigation

♻️ Tailings Reprocessing: The Holy Grail or a Fool’s Errand? Mines naturally handle a complex set of factors like resource allocation, capital efficiency, opportunity costs, and depletion. What works for one mine at one time may be completely different for another. This makes decisions like cut-off grades incredibly tricky to get right. Recovering every possible mineral might seem ideal, but it’s often not practical—at least not today. As cut-off grades drop, tailings themselves start to look more like assets. The idea of tailings reprocessing becomes increasingly compelling, not just for the economics but for the environmental opportunities it presents. Vale, for example, expects 10% (7 million tonnes) of its iron ore production to come from tailings by 2030. As reserves deplete, there’s a clear case for revisiting tailings, improving handling, and rethinking closure plans. But, as with most things in mining, it’s never that simple. 1) Random Distribution: "Nuggety" Nature of Tailings Grades in tailings depend heavily on when and where the material was discharged. They’re shaped by the ore being processed, recovery rates, and even whether it was a bad operating month. This variability creates a distribution that can shift dramatically and often feels, for lack of a better word, nuggety. Tailings reprocessing is far from predictable, and that inconsistency can complicate both planning and operations. 2) The Bias: Preferential Liberation and Extraction Tailings grades may look great on paper, especially when compared to today’s ore. But they’re not directly comparable. When ore is processed, the easiest minerals are recovered first. What’s left behind requires significantly more energy and effort to extract. A tailings grade of 1 g/t Au might seem impressive, but metallurgical recoveries, and feed variability, I would argue should have a discount to account for the difficulty of recovering the remnant mineralization. ▪️Lessons from the Carlin Trend A century ago, mining sub 1 g/t Au material would have been unimaginable. Today, projects targeting 1 g/t Au open pitiable are common. The same shift could happen with tailings, but success depends on understanding the metallurgy, the inherent variability, and the cost of recovery. So, are tailings reprocessing the holy grail? Maybe. It depends on timing, economics, and a willingness, technology of the day. But what is for certian is they repersent a chance to reduce existing footprints and bring past standards up to current ones. It is a beautiful thing - economics and how changing markets open up pathways. #Mining #Exploration #Metallurgy #MiningInnovation #ResourceManagement #FutureOfMining #TechInMining #Gold #Zinc #Copper #MiningIndustry

#Mining #Operations #Liberia

The white ghost elephant of Etosha National Park, Namibia. 🇳🇦 Elephants use clay from the Etosha Pan – a 120 km lakebed of salt – to protect themselves from the fierce Namibian sun and this is what they look like when the clay dries. [📹 jaqueline.mszt]