Outotec has been awarded three technology and service contracts by different renewable energy producers in the UK and Canada. Total value of the orders is approximately EUR 55 million which has been booked in Outotec’s 2015 third quarter order intake. One of the contracts is for a 55 MW thermal energy plant producing synthetic gas from refused-derived-fuel (RDF). Two other plants – 11 and 21 MWe – use Outotec’s advanced staged gasification technology with waste heat recovery and gas cleaning trains to produce steam from RDF and waste wood for electric energy. In addition to engineering and technology…
Author: Editor
Stanbic Bank Botswana hosted captains of the Energy sector at a conference during which they discussed the current power challenges facing Botswana & the region. Held on the 13th of October 2015 at the Lansmore Masa Square in Gaborone, the bank’s Corporate and Investment Banking (CIB) division lead yet another first in the market initiative targeted towards leveraging the capacity, reach and scale of Standard Bank Group in Africa to engineer solutions and provide direction to resolving the energy challenges. Head of Client Coverage for CIB at Stanbic Bank Botswana said as a stakeholder in the Botswana economy they found…
Business Botswana says its CEO, Maria Machailo-Ellis will be leaving the organisation to take up a position at the International Labour Organisation (ILO) in the Bureau of Employers’ Activities (ACT/EMP). The body which represents employers noted it was proud to have a Motswana appointed to such an important organ of the United Nations. “Business Botswana recognises Ms Machailo-Ellis’s career move as a positive one as she will continue to drive the cause of the private sector in Botswana and in the region. This move could not have come at an opportune time when the SADC region has just revised/finalised both…
Botswana Diamonds (BOD) has been awarded Prospecting Licence PL260/2015, though Sunland Minerals by the Botswana government. Sunland Minerals is the 50/50 joint venture exploration company owned by BOD and Alrosa. According to BOD, PL260/2015, covers ground which is the highest priority for the BOD/Alrosa joint venture. It contains 3 previously-discovered kimberlite bodies, AK21, AK22 and AK23. “As the joint venture exploration team is currently active in the area, work has commenced immediately on reviewing the block with a view to defining new anomalies and drill targets,” the company said. “The existing kimberlites are being reviewed as part of this work…
Leading local and international suppliers to the mining, industrial and power generation sectors gained valuable exposure at Electra Mining Botswana 2015, which took place from 1-3 September at the Gaborone Fair Grounds in Gaborone. The expo, put together by Specialised Exhibitions Montgomery of South Africa in partnership with local company Soapbox Communications, attracted 2,267 visitors and hosted 130 exhibitors. Visitors were able to see a wide range of products and services related to mining, industrial engineering and manufacturing, electrical engineering, power generation, materials handling, safety, health and environment, machines tools and construction, amongst others. “We received good feedback from our exhibitors with…
The 23rd and 24th October 2015 will see the return of the Kalahari Wine Tasting Festival to be hosted at the Gaborone International Convention Centre (GICC). Stanbic Bank Botswana will co-sponsor the two-day extravaganza, which is expected to showcase over 80 different wines from revered South African and Italian wineries and wine estates. Said Duduetsang Chappelle-Molloy, Head of Marketing at Stanbic Bank Botswana, “We are incredibly excited to once again host the Kalahari Wine Tasting Festival. The Festival this year promises to be even more exciting, with a unique theme, while maintaining the standard and quality of experience local…
Botswana Diamonds (BOD) said a three hole drilling programme has been completed on licence PL 210 in the Orapa region of Botswana. The programme is part of a 50/ 50 joint venture with Russian major, Alrosa. According to BOD, the programme targeted an anomaly discovered by Alrosa using their Transient Electromagnetic Method (TEM) reinforced by soil sampling which had earlier discovered significant Kimberlite Indicator Minerals (KIMs). It said two of the three holes intersected the anomaly. The holes intersected intensively altered ultramafic rock. While kimberlite is an ultramafic rock initial field analysis suggests this rock is older than the kimberlites…
Statistics Botswana says the Index of Mining production stood at 98.5 in the second quarter of 2015, showing a negative year-on-year growth of 7.6 percent. The decline was largely influenced by the slowing down of diamond production growth. Indices of the physical volume of second quarter 2015 (stats brief) on Mining Production report noted that the two largest contributors to the slump in growth of mining production were diamonds contributing negative 4.6 percentage points and copper in concentrates contributing negative 4.1 percentage points. Statistics Botswana said diamond production declined for the third consecutive quarter, decreasing by 5.4 percent…
The Diamond Empowerment Fund (DEF) has presented a check for $122,500 to support Botswana youth through access to higher education so they can help contribute to the economic development and diversification of the economy. According to DEF, the check was presented on October 1 to the Botswana Delegation in New York for the United Nations General Assembly. The team included the newly appointed Ambassador of the Republic of Botswana to the U.S., David John Newman, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Botswana to the United Nations, Charles Ntwaagae, and Minister of Foreign Affairs & International Cooperation, Pelonomi Venson-Moitoi, at a dinner…
Africa’s low-cost pan-African airline, fastjet, said it has been granted an Air Operator Certificate (AOC) by the Civil Aviation Authority of Zimbabwe (CAAZ). The AOC designates fastjet Zimbabwe Limited as a Zimbabwean airline licensed to operate both domestic and international routes within and from Zimbabwe. fastjet Zimbabwe is now the second airline in the fastjet network. fastjet Zimbabwe obtained its Air Service Licence in March 2015 and has since been working with CAAZ to obtain the AOC, which has been granted. The process involved an in depth review of fastjet Zimbabwe’s safety management system, operational manuals and structures, its senior…