Mining

The rental market offers a solution to costly machinery purchases (Image source: SkyJacks)

With rental solutions available, you do not necessarily need to own expensive equipment anymore — that is the core message from SkyJacks, as it highlights the shift from ‘ownership’ to ‘access’ with expanded equipment solutions at Electra Mining 2026

As mining, construction and industrial businesses continue to navigate changing project demands, rising operational costs and the need for greater flexibility, the traditional approach of owning every piece of equipment is evolving, the company believes.

At Electra Mining 2026, SkyJacks will showcase how businesses can gain access to world-class equipment through flexible rental solutions, enabling them to adapt quickly while reducing the financial pressure associated with asset ownership.

“Businesses today need flexibility as much as they need reliable equipment,” said Darryn Jacobs, managing director at SkyJacks.

“While purchasing remains the right option for many organisations, rental provides an alternative approach that allows companies to access the equipment they need without being locked into assets that may no longer align with changing operational requirements.”

A leading provider of powered access, material handling and lifting equipment across South Africa and the broader SADC region, SkyJacks will showcase its expanded portfolio at the Johannesburg Expo Centre, Nasrec.

Alongside its established range of globally recognised OEM brands, including Dingli, Faresin, Jekko, GEDA and ALR, the company will introduce two new additions to its offering: Hyundai Forklifts and MACH industrial cleaning solutions.

The expanded portfolio reinforces its position as a comprehensive equipment partner, providing solutions that support safety, productivity and efficiency across mining, construction, industrial maintenance and logistics environments.

According to Jacobs, rental provides businesses with the ability to adapt as project scopes change.

“A company may start a project requiring a 20-metre access machine but later discover that it needs equipment capable of reaching 40 metres. With rental, they can return the existing machine and transition to a solution that better meets their requirements,” he said.

“When equipment is purchased outright, businesses can find themselves committed to an asset that may no longer provide the right capability, creating unnecessary costs and limiting flexibility.”

Beyond providing access to specialised equipment, rental solutions also help customers manage the ongoing costs associated with ownership.Maintenance, servicing and equipment support are included as part of the rental offering, allowing businesses to focus on operations rather than managing additional asset-related expenses.

“Customers are looking for predictable costs and reliable uptime,” said Jacobs.“With rental, they have access to professionally maintained equipment without the additional burden of maintenance, repairs and replacement costs. This allows them to focus on productivity while knowing their equipment is supported throughout its lifecycle.”

At Electra Mining 2026, SkyJacks will showcase a range of solutions designed to meet the evolving needs of industry:

Dingli Mobile Elevated Work Platforms: Dingli’s range of articulated and telescopic boom lifts, scissor lifts and vertical lifts provides reliable working-at-height solutions, with options across diesel, electric and hybrid configurations.

Faresin Telehandlers: Designed for demanding construction, mining and agricultural applications, Faresin telehandlers combine versatility, operator comfort and powerful lifting performance.

Jekko Mini Cranes: Engineered for precision lifting in challenging environments, Jekko mini cranes deliver high lifting capacity, advanced safety features and excellent manoeuvrability.

GEDA Construction Hoists: GEDA hoists support safe and efficient vertical transportation, improving productivity across construction and industrial sites.

ALR Lever Hoists and Chain Blocks: Built for harsh operating conditions, ALR products provide durable and reliable lifting solutions for mining, engineering and industrial applications.

Hyundai Forklifts: SkyJacks will introduce Hyundai’s globally recognised forklift range, including diesel, LPG and electric models. Designed for demanding material handling environments, Hyundai forklifts combine robust performance, operator-focused design and advanced safety features to improve efficiency and reliability.

MACH Industrial Cleaning Solutions: Making its debut at Electra Mining, the MACH range provides innovative industrial cleaning solutions designed to support efficiency across warehouses, factories, workshops and mining facilities. Manufactured in Italy, MACH equipment combines durability, ease of operation and reduced resource consumption, helping businesses maintain cleaner, safer and more productive working environments.

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Wärtsilä to power Senegal’s Diamba Sud gold mine With 14MW Plant. (Image source: Wärtsilä)

Technology group Wärtsilä will provide five Wärtsilä 32 engines for a 14 MW captive power plant being developed for the Diamba Sud Gold Project in Senegal

The dedicated power plant will provide the reliable electricity supply required for the mine’s operations. Located in a remote area, the Diamba Sud project will rely entirely on the captive facility for its power requirements.

The order was placed by Africa Power Services (APS), the France-based engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contractor responsible for the power plant, on behalf of Fortuna Mining. Wärtsilä recorded the order as order intake during the second quarter of 2026.

Wärtsilä 32 engines to power remote Senegal mine

The Wärtsilä 32 generating set has been in successful operation for 30 years and has supplied more than 8,000 MW of energy to customers globally. Its fast-starting capability also allows engine-based power systems to incorporate variable renewable sources, including solar and wind, by providing flexibility for balancing power supply and demand.

Fortuna Mining has plans to introduce renewable energy into the mine’s microgrid in the future, with the Wärtsilä engines providing the flexibility required to complement intermittent renewable generation.

“Operating a remote, off-grid mine requires reliable power, as any unscheduled downtime carries financial and operational risks. Wärtsilä’s engines deliver the continuous performance required for such demanding conditions. Selecting them for Diamba Sud ensures we mitigate operational risks from day one, while building a power foundation that can seamlessly integrate renewable energy assets as the mine evolves,” says Cedric Fernandez, Managing Director at APS.

Wärtsilä’s contract extends beyond the supply of the engine generating sets. Its scope includes basic engineering, engine-specific auxiliary equipment and the engine control and monitoring system. The company will also provide advisory services during installation and commissioning.

The use of multiple engine-generating sets is intended to provide the power plant with greater flexibility to respond to changing mine loads while maintaining efficient operation. The configuration will also provide the operational flexibility needed to accommodate renewable generation as the microgrid develops.

“This repeat order from APS reinforces Wärtsilä’s position as a trusted and reliable solution provider for the mining industry’s power needs,” commented Marc Thiriet, energy business director, Africa at Wärtsilä Energy.

“Mining operations are under dual pressure to maintain maximum uptime while actively charting a path toward decarbonisation. By deploying multiple smaller engine-generating sets instead of a single large unit, we enable the plant to match fluctuating load demands with high precision, maximizing fuel efficiency and reducing emissions. Critically, these engines feature the starting flexibility required to balance the intermittent nature of solar or wind power, thereby complimenting Fortuna Mining’s future plans to introduce renewables to this microgrid strengthening the mines operational stability.”

Diamba Sud power plant targets 2027 operation

Delivery of the Wärtsilä equipment is scheduled for March 2027, while the captive power plant is expected to begin operations by the end of 2027.

The project is being developed for Fortuna Mining, a Canadian mining company advancing the Diamba Sud Gold Project in Senegal. Fortuna acquired the project in September 2023.

Diamba Sud is situated within the Kenieba–Koudougou Inlier, a geologically important region extending across eastern Senegal and western Mali. The area hosts several major gold deposits.

The dedicated 14 MW power plant will form a critical part of the mine’s infrastructure, providing the electricity required for operations at the remote site while establishing a foundation for the future integration of renewable energy into the project’s microgrid.

Factory work on a girder for one of the 50-ton, 20m-span cranes (Image source: Condra)

The growth of Africa’s mining industry is driving demand for robust solutions and heavy equipment built for the rigours of the continent, especially where it can be produced locally

Teams at South Africa’s Condra are working flat out to finish a series of crane orders for mines in Zambia, Namibia and South Africa.

The company has introduced additional shifts to complete a glut of what it calls “unusually large” overhead cranes now under manufacture at its Johannesburg factory — among them are three with boxgirders more than 30 metres long.

“These are very big, very long, very heavy fabrications to manage,” a Condra spokesman said.

On the floor currently are two 50-ton cranes with spans of 34 metres, and a third, high-lift, 5-ton crane with a 35-metre span.Condra is simultaneously completing manufacture of a further four 50-ton cranes with spans of around 20 metres.

All six 50-tonners are for a mine in Zambia, while the 5-tonner is for a Namibian mine.

Manufacturing challenges

Spans of 34 and 35 metres present unusual manufacturing challenges because of girder dimensions — besides length, box girders for these spans stand two metres high and just under one metre wide.

“Manufacture involves intricate welding and very careful jigging to incorporate the correct camber to counter girders’ natural tendency to sag under load,” the spokesman said.

“Girders this long are also quite delicate to manoeuvre on the shop floor. They require resource and workflow planning, and tie up use of our factory cranes.”

The spokesman added that end-carriage design has been important to ensure crane longevity, because the wheels must accommodate continuously changing stresses imposed by the girders as they flex under different loads.

“Our design team paid attention to both camber and end-carriage design to ensure durability,” he said. “Condra cranes are known for their low overall lifetime cost.”

Also under manufacture for Namibian mines are three single-girder overhead cranes, two portal cranes and a jib crane.The company behind these orders is an undisclosed engineering and project management consultancy with representation worldwide.

It has additionally ordered 18 electric hoists of between 2 and 25-ton capacity, and four chain blocks.

South Africa commissioning

In South Africa’s Northern Cape province, Condra is now commissioning two cranes at Gamsberg Phase Two, where the same consultancy contributed to metallurgy and process plant design.

These, too, are big machines: one a 40/5 ton crane with 22-metre span, the other an 80/20 ton machine with 18-metre span.

Gamsberg Phase Two is an expansion of the open-cast zinc mine near the town of Aggeneys, to double annual ore output from 4 million to 8 million tonnes.

Besides the cranes undergoing commissioning, Condra has completed delivery of two other cranes to Gamsberg Phase Two, for installation as the structural steelwork progresses.

The company reported that it anticipates further orders from southern and east Africa, notably Tanzania and Mozambique, where a marketing drive is currently under way.

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Byrnecut expands underground mining fleet with Sandvik equipment

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Byrnecut orders Sandvik drills, loaders and trucks globally. (Image source: Sandvik)

Byrnecut has expanded its underground mining equipment fleet through a major investment in Sandvik machinery, strengthening its capabilities across mining operations in Australia, Canada, West Africa and Southern Africa

The latest investment comprises four Sandvik DD422i development drills, four Toro LH621i loaders equipped with AutoMine, four Toro TH663i underground trucks, two Sandvik DL432i longhole drills and one Sandvik DL422i longhole drill. The equipment order also includes four Rhino 100 mobile raise boring machines and one Rhino uphole module.

The orders were booked in June 2026, with equipment deliveries already underway and scheduled to continue through June 2028. Byrnecut will deploy the new underground mining equipment across multiple operations, supporting both new and established underground mining projects in key regions.

The investment will expand Byrnecut’s access to advanced underground drilling, loading, hauling and raise boring equipment while strengthening its ability to support safe, productive and technology-driven mining operations across its international project portfolio.

Sandvik and Byrnecut have developed a long-standing global partnership, collaborating over many years to deliver underground mining equipment and solutions focused on safety, productivity and innovation across multiple markets.

“Our relationship with Sandvik has been built over many years on trust, collaboration and consistent performance,” said Pat Boniwell, managing director, Byrnecut Australia.

“As our business continues to grow globally, we need equipment that delivers the productivity, reliability and technology our customers expect. This investment strengthens our fleet with proven underground equipment, automation capabilities and the global support we need to deliver for our customers.”

Patrick Murphy, president of Mining at Sandvik, said Byrnecut remains one of Sandvik’s key global partners in underground mining.

“Byrnecut has been a trusted partner for many years, and we are proud to continue supporting its global growth through this significant fleet investment,” Murphy said. “This investment demonstrates Byrnecut’s confidence in Sandvik’s underground equipment portfolio and our ability to support customers consistently across multiple continents. Together we are focused on delivering safer, more productive and increasingly automated underground mining operations.”

As part of the investment, Byrnecut will also draw on Sandvik’s global service and support network to help maximise equipment availability, reliability and productivity throughout the operational life of the fleet.