The Minister of Science and Technology, Mrs Naledi Pandor, has launched a R26 million programme to boost the technology base in 28 companies that manufacture castings in South Africa.
Launched at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research in Pretoria on 1 March 2010, the Technology Localisation Programme of the Department of Science and Technology (DST) [...]

In a joint editorial comment, ManufacturingHub.co.za and Ferronews.com argue that the recent power hikes will, contrary to popular belief be a catalyst for industrial growth and innovation in the country.
Much has been made about the impact of the recent multi-year tariff hikes which the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa) has granted to power [...]

Rio Tinto is expanding its Mine of the Future™ programme to develop new equipment and systems for deep underground mines and has selected three partners to work on the project. Aker Wirth and Atlas Copco will individually work with Rio Tinto to develop two new tunneling concepts and Herrenknecht will work with the Group on [...]

Ferronews.com is a proud supporter of South African business. With the Fifa 2010 World Cup around the corner we have installed a Travel Finder for business professionals in the industrial, mining and metals industry to source:

Business accommodation
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Holiday Destinations across South Africa

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Local SAP® BUSINESS All-in-One Partner, SCT Services, has announced a new licensing and delivery option for SAP® BUSINESS All-in-One (SAP BAiO) solutions. The new hosted and subscription-based delivery model is designed to help midsize companies obtain a world-class business application with a lower up-front cost by eliminating the capital outlay traditionally required for acquiring software [...]

According to one of South Africa’s leading corporate law firms, today’s speech by Minerals Minister Susan Shabangu was a breath of fresh air that was marked by a promise to halve the time taken to process applications for prospecting and mining rights in South Africa and a firm stance on nationalisation.
Peter Leon, head of natural [...]

The electricity crisis in South Africa has not only highlighted the importance of growing the country’s power generation capacity but also its ability to supply coal feedstock to power plants. Around 85 percent of electricity generated in South Africa is produced from coal fired stations, and this dependence is likely to continue for the foreseeable [...]

With the official signing of a collaboration agreement, the CSIR and Cermalab today formalised the work they are doing together at southern Africa’s only unbiased high-temperature materials laboratory.
At this laboratory refractories and ceramics can be tested and characterised to international standards. The CSIR and Cermalab each ran independent laboratories of this nature for many years [...]

Although the speed and extent of the global economic recovery remain uncertain, commodity prices are likely to put up a strong performance in 2010. This will boost the worldwide mining industry, although challenges particular to South Africa may dampen local prospects.
“The global mining industry is likely to be buoyed by growing physical demand for commodities, [...]

Mines in remote locations are usually cut off from infrastructure and services, making mission-critical communications extremely challenging. Even if mobile services are available, the ability to send data is often limited, which means email and internet access is slow and unreliable, potentially delaying project timelines.
MAXI-SAT, a joint venture between Maxwell and Barnstone, is an [...]