Botswana Diamonds says the initial, planned fieldworks at its joint-venture prospecting licence, PL 117/2011, in the Orapa region of Botswana have been completed on schedule and on budget. PL 117/2011 is a small, 2.9sq km, area of ground that was identified as the highest level priority target under the joint venture that Botswana Diamonds operates with the Russian diamond major, Alrosa. A combined team of senior geologists and geophysicists from both companies embarked upon a rapid and intensive work programme designed to identify drill targets on the licence. Work carried out on the ground included magnetic, electromagnetic and geochemical surveys.…
Author: Editor
Botswana is not exactly synonymous with technology. Cattle farming, yes; diamond mining definitely. With the country’s over reliance on diamonds, there has increasingly been a need for the country to identify areas in which it has a competitive advantage in order to diversify. In last year’s State-of-the-Nation address, President Ian Khama listed transport, energy, communications, mineral beneficiation, finance, tourism and innovation as the conduits through which economic diversification can be achieved to lead Botswana to prosperity. Innovation is defined as the act of introducing something new, such as a new way of doing things or the creation of a product.…
With less than a week to go, marathon fever has gripped Gaborone ahead of the fourth annual Diacore Gaborone Marathon (previously Steinmetz Gaborone Marathon). This year has already proven to be a bumper year for the annual charitable sporting event, with over 4,000 participants having been registered, causing the previously extended deadline for registration to ultimately close early to avoid over subscription. This year’s Marathon is set to take place on 30th March 2014 at The Grand Palm Resort with weather forecasted to be cool and partly cloudy. This is the second consecutive year in which Stanbic Bank Botswana serves…
BIHL Trust has increased its support for the women of New Xade in a project that began during the course of 2012. The Trust’s work with the women sees an effort towards empowering a group of ladies through provision of sewing equipment, encouraging and facilitating the use of the equipment to promote entrepreneurship in the area. In addition, the Trust has shown further support for a local bakery project in a project launched in 2012. New Xade is a small settlement in the Ghanzi District, about 180 km’s South of Ghanzi. In 2012, The BIHL Trust identified and donated sewing…
The European IT & Software Excellence Awards 2014 have selected ADSoftware as a finalist in the Vertical Market Solution category. This is a timely recognition that comes together with ADSoftware signing three very distinct new customers in the aviation industry market. A large number of solutions nowadays are termed ‘vertical’ because they are designed to support an organisation that operates in a specific market segment. ADSoftware is one of the few IT solution providers in the aviation industry who understand the peculiarities of specific market segments and design solutions that improve the operations of their customers. Over the last 16…
Tlou Energy Limited has provided update on operations at the Lesedi CBM project in Botswana. The Lesedi CBM Project area includes the Lesedi Pod (which commenced dewatering on 5 December 2013) and the Selemo Pod (which commenced dewatering on 17 November 2013). Tlou Energy advises that the Lesedi and Selemo pilot pods are continuing to dewater and are gradually approaching the theoretical critical gas desorption pressure (CDP), with the Lesedi Pod being the closest to CDP. The de-watering process is taking longer than originally anticipated due to higher well productivity compared to initial estimates. Indications from both pilot pods remain…
Walkabout Resources Ltd (ASX:WKT) said it believes the planned construction of the Trans-Kalahari Rail (TKR) project between Botswana and Namibia will provide the most efficient pathway to market for its 7bn tonne Takatokwane coal project. This follows the recent signing of the Bi-Lateral Agreement at Walvis Bay which contractually reaffirms commitment by the Governments of Namibia and Botswana to the construction of the US$10 billion, 1,500km long railway between Mmamabula in Botswana and Walvis Bay in Namibia. The expected but unpublished route of the rail line is co-incident with the existing Trans Kalahari Highway and Export Corridor and located near…
The De Beers Group of Companies has announced the qualification of five new Sightholders for the remainder of the 2012–2015 Supplier of Choice (SoC) contract period. De Beers’ modified SoC re-planning process, announced in 2011, enables non-Sightholder businesses that have demonstrated sufficient demand through De Beers’ auction sales in 2013 to qualify for Sightholder status and term contract supply (subject to availability). Sightholder status in the current contract period is subject to De Beers’ forecast rough diamond availability and eligible applicants’ submission of a Contract Proposal Questionnaire (CPQ) as part of the 2014 Intention to Offer (ITO) re-planning process. Each…
Science Parks are very important in today’s economy. Knowledge-sharing should transcend geographic borders; the presence of science park networks and associations make this possible. Skills and new technologies can be shared across countries through said science parks. In today’s fast world science and economic diversification go hand in hand to improve the strength of technology and independence in every country. One can’t possibly work without the other. To see satisfactory results, the implementations of both have to be to the best ability. Science and technology parks around the world are very useful and their main aim is to increase the…
Legal expenses insurance, Legal Guard, commemorates its 10th anniversary this month, marking a decade since first opening its doors to Batswana. Legal Guard forms part of the suite of services offered by short term insurance provider, BIHL Sure!. “BIHL Sure! is a proudly Botswana, proudly African company, and we are proud to have such a truly exciting homegrown offering celebrating this momentous milestone. Legal Guard has been key to Batswana’s justice for the last 10 years, and it has been a very exciting time for us in this market. Legal Guard has developed into a mature and profitable operation, and…