Geographically, most of Namibia consists of a desert or near-desert plateau. Underneath this arid ground, however, lies a massive mineral wealth.

Namibia’s economy relies heavily on its mining industry: almost half of the country’s foreign exchange earnings are contributed by this sector. Key exports include diamonds, uranium, gold and silver, as well as a wide variety of base metals such as lead, copper, and zinc.

On the edge on the Namib desert in southern Namibia, the Rosh Pinah underground mine, owned by Canadian-based Trevali, has been producing zinc and lead for 50 years, milling some 2,000 tonnes of ore per day. That kind of production volumes pose a challenge to the supply and service of consumable parts – and that’s where Robit SA was able to help Rosh Pinah improve their performance.

“We signed a consignment stock contract for the “GET” (Ground Engagement Tools) with Rosh Pinah in August. It’s a full-service contract, including a management system”, explains Franco Van Deventer, Sales Director for Robit SA.

The two-year contract covers both development and long hole production drilling, as well as “cut and fill” mining.

Better quality through reporting

“Our management reporting system has marked a significant improvement in quality control. Our monthly feedback reports allow our customer to track the performance of our equipment and compare the efficiency and cost. Before our contract this had not been possible”, Franco says.

Picture: Bird’s eye view of Rosh Pinah. (Image: Hp.Baumeler)

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