FLS highlights lifecycle approach to African mining operations

Discussions at Electra Mining Africa pointed to a changing operating environment for mining companies across the continent. With ageing processing assets, tighter capital budgets and increasing expectations around productivity, reliability and sustainability, operators are placing greater emphasis on improving the performance of existing infrastructure rather than committing to major greenfield projects

For FLS, this shift is reinforcing a move towards a lifecycle-focused service model. The company is combining flowsheet expertise with regional service capabilities, optimisation solutions and local technical support to help mining customers improve plant performance throughout the life of a mine.

Bernard Kaninda, President of Sales and Services for Africa at FLS, said conversations with customers at Electra Mining Africa showed that operational improvements are increasingly taking precedence over major capital projects.

"Many operations are looking to increase throughput, improve recovery and extend plant life without committing to significant capital expenditure," stated Kaninda.

"That places greater emphasis on service-led interventions such as process optimisation, audits, upgrades, retrofits and lifecycle support that allow customers to unlock additional value from assets already in operation."

Kaninda said the changing priorities also reflect an evolution in FLS's relationship with mining companies.

"Our objective is to become a long-term lifecycle partner rather than simply an equipment supplier. We work alongside customers throughout the life of mine to improve plant performance, minimise downtime and reduce operating costs while supporting their long-term production objectives."

The need for this approach is particularly pronounced across Africa, where ageing equipment, limited investment capacity and increasingly complex orebodies are creating demand for more comprehensive operational support.

Alistair McKay, vice-president capital sales, Europe, Arabia and Africa, said the continent's varied geology further increases the need for tailored mineral processing strategies.

"The continent encompasses Copperbelt copper-cobalt operations, West African gold, South African platinum group metals, iron ore and numerous other commodities, each presenting unique processing challenges," McKay says. "Supporting this diversity requires far more than individual products. It requires the ability to engineer and optimise complete mineral processing flowsheets tailored to each orebody and operating environment."

Operational challenges also extend beyond processing requirements, particularly for mines operating in remote areas.

"Many African mines operate in remote locations where long supply chains, customs delays and logistical constraints mean equipment reliability becomes inseparable from service capability. Maintaining operational continuity requires local technical support, regional parts availability and lifecycle partnerships that minimise production interruptions."

With operators seeking performance improvements without replacing complete processing circuits, equipment modernisation is becoming an increasingly important tool.

"Many mines are extending the operating life of existing assets through rebuilds, retrofits and targeted upgrades," added Kaninda. "These solutions often deliver significant improvements in throughput, energy efficiency and reliability while requiring substantially lower capital investment than complete equipment replacement."

Digital technologies are also contributing to asset optimisation, particularly where mining operations are geographically isolated.

"Remote condition monitoring, predictive maintenance and digital diagnostics allow customers to identify potential issues before they develop into failures," he says. "These technologies are particularly valuable at isolated operations where specialist technical resources are not always immediately available."

FLS is also expanding its regional service infrastructure to support this lifecycle model. Kaninda points to the expansion of the Chloorkop service centre in South Africa and the establishment of a new service centre in Accra, Ghana, as initiatives intended to bring engineering expertise, repair capabilities, spare parts and technical support closer to mining operations.

"Reducing downtime is not simply about responding quickly when equipment fails," stated Kaninda. "It is about ensuring customers have immediate access to skilled technicians, specialist repair capability, critical spare and wear parts and engineering expertise within the region. Local proximity significantly shortens response times and reduces dependence on lengthy overseas supply chains."

The company is placing particular emphasis on regional teams working directly with customers.

"Our strategy is built around people on the ground who understand local operating conditions and customer requirements. That local knowledge enables faster decision-making, stronger customer relationships and more effective technical support."

For Nico Erasmus, vice-president and head of pumps, Cyclones and Valves (PCV), Africa, equipment reliability needs to be considered alongside the logistical realities of operating mines across the continent.

"In many parts of southern and central Africa, uptime depends not only on equipment performance but also on the ability to support that equipment quickly and effectively," Erasmus says. "A pump or valve failure can stop production for an extended period if replacement parts or repair capability are not readily available. Reliability therefore means resilience across the entire support ecosystem."

FLS's Stormill PCV Service Centre supports this approach by providing specialised repair, refurbishment and technical services for pumps, cyclones and valves in the region.

"Having local service capability allows us to restore critical equipment much faster than relying solely on overseas facilities," hesaid. "It also creates opportunities to develop local technical expertise and strengthen skills within the African mining industry."

Erasmus said rebuilds and upgrades are becoming increasingly relevant as mining companies contend with import costs, currency volatility and longer lead times for replacement equipment.

"Rebuilding and upgrading existing equipment often provides a more cost-effective solution than importing new assets, while extending equipment life and maintaining operational performance."

Resource efficiency is another consideration for mining operations facing constraints around water and energy.

"In many African mining regions, water availability and energy security have become operational constraints. Improving slurry transport efficiency not only lowers operating costs but also reduces water and energy consumption, delivering measurable productivity and sustainability benefits simultaneously."

Kaninda said this approach is consistent with FLS's global CORE’26 strategy, particularly as operators seek to link productivity improvements with more efficient resource use.

"In Africa, sustainability and productivity are closely linked. Improving resource efficiency strengthens both mine economics and operational resilience, particularly in regions facing water scarcity or unreliable power supply."

McKay said the discussions at Electra Mining Africa also highlighted growing demand for integrated partnerships that extend beyond individual equipment purchases.

"Africa's mining industry is focused on extracting greater value from existing operations while building more resilient, efficient and sustainable processing plants," he says. "Delivering that outcome requires more than supplying equipment. It requires long-term partnerships supported by local expertise, engineering capability and service infrastructure that remain close to our customers throughout the life of their operations."