By Sharyn Macnamara
MTE continues to offer the ‘gold standard’ in high impact mining and technical exhibitions and will hit the gold sector in the latter part of 2024, in line with the strong demand for gold currently.
Nixon Mugwadhi,Business improvement manager, Tech Services, Zimplats HQ, winner of the MTE lucky draw, receives his fuel voucher prize from Sellinah Madumo, MTE marketing assistant.
July saw Mining and Technical Exhibitions (MTE) break its own expo visitor records in Hotazel and Kathu; then, as the world geared up for the Olympics in August, MTE completed a challenging combo tour to Zimbabwe where exhibiting suppliers to the industry reaped golden opportunities after eight years of absence; and as global mined gold hit its second quarter production record, MTE plans three expos in South Africa that talk “gold mining tech and innovation” in October and November.
Northern Cape tour breaks records
The MTE Hotazel and Kathu Mining & Industrial Exhibitions that took place on 9 July and 11 July, respectively, were the best MTE has experienced in the areas to date, with over 230 stands booked and 887 visitors attending, in total, over the two days. The tradeshows shot the lights out with both the number of stands booked and visitor numbers. Andrew Macnamara, operations director at MTE said, “These have been our biggest MTE tradeshows yet in Hotazel and Kathu, with over 100 and 130 companies, respectively, showcasing tech and with tangible support from management from the surrounding mining operations. Mines like Sishen, Beeshoek and Khumani made their presence known and it was good to see some of the smaller iron ore and manganese operations there too.”
Zimbabwe – successful start to long-term conversations
The MTE Gweru Industrial Exhibition on 30 July, targetting PGM mines like Unki and Mimosa located on the Great Dyke in Zimbabwe, together with smaller gold and chrome operations, was also a success with 31 exhibiting companies showcasing innovation to 217 visitors. MTE set the second expo up at Mulota Hill Golf Course in Ngezi, near the Zimplats operations, among others. The group’s primary business is producing platinum group metals (primarily platinum, palladium, rhodium, iridium, ruthenium) and associated metals (nickel, gold, copper, cobalt, silver). Management from every single department at the mine, making up the bulk of the 121 visitors to the expo, started the foundation of conversations with 35 exhibiting tech companies. “These were small shows with enormous impact for relationships going forward. Despite a challenging two weeks on the logistical front, this combo tour, sorely lacking over the past 8 years, made remarkable inroads in Zimbabwe. It was fantastic to hear the GM of an extremely prominent mine in Zimbabwe say, ‘You are welcome back next year!’” noted Macnamara.
Zambia – critical copper, the new gold?
In May this year, the Institute for Energy Research (IER) intimated that copper may indeed be the new gold in international markets, with copper prices hitting all-time highs at the time, the American push to buy electric vehicles (which consume 3-4 times as much copper as their internal combustion counterparts), and all the “green tech”, including wind and solar and the conversion of the grid to accommodate them, requiring large quantities of copper.1 With this top of mind, September saw MTE’s annual trilogy tour hit the copper belt in Kalumbila, Solwezi and Kitwe in Zambia, where their popularity precedes them.
Golden opportunities in October, November
The World Gold Council’s Q2 2024 Gold Demand Trends report2, released at the end of July, revealed that total global gold demand increased 4% year-on-year to 1 258t – marking the strongest Q2 in its data series. Total demand was supported by healthy over-the-counter (OTC) transactions – up a notable 53% year-on-year at 329t. Increased OTC demand, continued buying from central banks, and a slowdown in ETF outflows drove record-high gold prices in Q2.
MTE has responded to the latest global buzz around gold production – apart from its annual, well-known Sibanye-Stillwater Industrial expo in Gauteng to be held on 24 October, Macnamara says, “Brace yourselves for an exciting new journey in November to the Harmony gold mine, Doornkop in Randfontein, and another new expo in the Odendaalsrus area near Welkom, home to Harmony’s Tshepong and Phakisa gold mines.” MTE will host these smaller, intimate tradeshows focussed on gold mining as a combo tour, on 19 November and 21 November, respectively.
For more information, contact Andrew Macnamara at andrew@interactmedia.co.za or on +27 (0)82 720 0083 n
References:
- https://www.instituteforenergyresearch.org/regulation/is-copper-the-new-gold/
- https://www.gold.org/goldhub/research/gold-demand-trends/gold-demand-trends-q2-2024
- www.harmony.co.za/operations/south-africa/underground/doornkop/
- www.sahistory.org.za/place/odendaalsrus-free-state