Mining Indaba 2014

Mining Indaba in Cape Town is always a busy affair with representatives from all aspects of the industry in attendance.

Traditionally, Mining Indaba has focused on the financial side of the industry with junior mining companies looking for investors to further current exploration programs, or sell to larger companies and develop into operations.

Depending on which part of the industry you belong to, there were certainly mixed feelings at the show. Many juniors looking for investment money were left with long faces as investors still showed their reluctance. Service providers, on the other hand, were more buoyant with companies looking to maximise their resources and consider new technology in order to drive continual improvements. Maptek featured our Eureka software at Indaba to help provide solutions for exploration companies. Eureka focuses on combining GIS data with data modelling techniques commonly found in geological and planning systems, providing a seamless data integration for target generation.

In general there was an overall feeling of uncertainty within the industry for the year ahead on a global level. Locally, with the depreciation of the Rand currency in South Africa and continued unrest as the platinum and gold industry endures more labour strikes, this uncertainty is likely to be more pronounced, in turn leading to international mining companies being reluctant to invest in this type of environment. However, the mining industry in South Africa is still a major contributor to the country’s GDP. Some of the world’s largest deposits and operations are found here and there are many more to be developed.

Mining companies that continue to adopt new technologies will be better placed to deal with these difficult times. By providing best practice support, service companies will also reap the benefits of a healthier industry.

To learn more about Maptek Services or to schedule a demo of Eureka, contact your local Maptek office.