Africa

The expression ‘chicken feed’ normally implies something cheap and insignificant, but this is far from the truth when half a million chickens are involved, as Abdul Salam Akate tells Alan Swaby.

Tullow Oil has announced the discovery of further oil at one of its wells in the Kenya Rift Basin.

The Ngamia-1 exploration well, located onshore Kenya in Block 10BB, has been drilled to an intermediate depth of 1,515 metres, with the total net oil pay encountered so far increasing to more than 100 metres across multiple reservoir zones.

Mining operations usually provide much needed employment in developing countries but these jobs have a finite life. As Alan Swaby learns, a longer point of view is what’s really called for.

There’s nothing new in the bigger mining companies, operating in third world or developing countries, having social responsibility policies. But the question is not what to do while the mine is in operation but rather how to put in place a sustainable structure that can still function even after the life of the mine is over.

Jack Liebenberg,managing director of Tranter Rock Drills, talks to Jayne Alverca about leading the company through the latest phase of its evolution.

Tranter Rock Drills may be a relatively new commercial entity, but it has an industrial legacy that stretches back more than half a century. The Rock Drills division of Boart Longyear, known throughout the South African mining industry by the acronym SECO, was originally founded in 1934 and has honed its expertise in rock drills and airlegs since the 1950s.

Schneider Electric is in the business of improving energy efficiency; but rather than just telling others what to do, Jeff Daniels has discovered that Schneider has also shown the world what to do.

The world wouldn’t be quite as white as it is without an expanding titanium minerals mining operation in the wilds of Mozambique, as Alan Swaby learns from managing director Michael Carvill.

Anglo American has announced the sale of Scaw South Africa, completing its divestment of the Scaw Metals Group.

The company has sold Scaw South Africa to an investment consortium led by the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) of South Africa, Izingwe Holdings, Shanduka Resources and the Southern Palace Group of Companies.

At times, South Africa’s electricity suppliers can no longer meet demand; so until supply once again catches up, the emphasis is on reducing demand, as Jeff Daniels learns.

Shell has agreed to buy East Africa-focused Cove Energy in a deal worth £1.12 billion, it has been announced.

London-listed Cove will be acquired by the energy giant’s Shell Bidco subsidiary.

The acquisition marks Shell's entry into Kenya and Mozambique, with potential for new LNG from recent gas discoveries offshore Mozambique. Shell already has interests in Tanzania.

Adansi Gold Company, a wholly owned subsidiary of PMI Gold Corporation, is one of the most exciting gold mining companies in Ghana. With resources that are causing investors’ hearts to race, it is set to become a very important mid-tier producer in just a couple of years, as Thomas Amoah explains to Jane McCallion.