Swedes probe mining opportunities in Bots

MBONGENI MGUNI
Staff Writer | Wednesday January 26, 2011 00:00

 

The market study is the result of a two-year cooperative effort between SGU and Botswana's Department of Geological Survey (DGS) under which the Swedes hope to partner with local miners in capacity-building and training, technology enhancement and policy formulation, among others.

While the Swedish government budgeted P3.5 million for various activities under the initiative last year, it plans to spend P6 million on a range of pursuits, including the market study, this year. According to consultants, the market study will be completed in April 2011. 'The study will serve as a foundation for SGU's initiative which will try to establish sustainable business relationships between companies in Botswana and Sweden,' Project Manager, Lars Klfver, says in a statement.

In an interview from Stockholm yesterday, a spokesperson of Meeting Points Mining, Emma Hrdmark, said besides the market study, a range of other activities were planned for this year in Botswana. Meeting Points Mining is the SGU project name for its development cooperation with Botswana, Namibia and South Africa. 'We are going to continue the aggregate project that we started last year, which entails cooperation with the DGS,' said Hardman. 'Two SGU officials will travel to Botswana several times this year to continue this cooperation.

'We have an ongoing project involving quarrying and we will soon be initiating another on mineral identification.

For the latter, an official is working in Stockholm and will soon be starting this up in Botswana. We opened our office in Gaborone on New Year's Day and we will use it when we are in the country for the activities.' According to Hrdmark, the mineral Identification project involves developing more accurate methods of mineral analysis. This entails the study and characterisation of various rocks, clays, ores, gems and semi-precious stones.

She said the project would give DGS staff new insights into key mineralogical and petrological methods and assess the status and future ways of developing mineralogical methods for identification and characterisation of geological materials within DGS. She said SGU and Meeting Points Mining officials would travel to Botswana in March when Swedish King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia would pay a state visit. 'Throughout the year, we will also participate in activities that we find helpful in spreading the word about Meeting Points Mining,' she added.

Last year, SGU and the Swedish Mining and Tunnelling Group organised a two-day mining conference in Gaborone, undertook several visits to DGS, BCL Mine and other sites, participated in the Resource Sector Conference and engaged the University of Botswana. As efforts continue towards the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding this year, the Swedes have pledged P3 million in mining grants and training/capacity-building projects for Botswana between 2011 and 2013. The MoU, which will either be between DGS and SGU or at executive government level, has already been drafted and is ready to be signed.

Reads an SGU document about the Meeting Points Mining initiative: 'The exploration and mining industry is knowledge-intensive and has a great need for highly skilled labour, as well as for good geo-scientific data. 'Of particular importance is the institutional capacity to ensure that education, training, research and innovative environments guarantee the availability of skilled labour, the provision of geological and geophysical base datasets, as well as the ability of the public sector to maintain the expertise needed to promote, examine and regulate the industry.'

Sweden is the largest producer of iron ore and a leading base metal copper, zinc, lead, gold and silver in the EU.

The Scandinavian country has 14 operational mines across the various minerals. Its mining sector spent close to P760 million on exploration and boasts world-leading mining supply companies such as Atlas Copco, Sandvik and Volvo.