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October - November 2015
MODERN QUARRYING
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on the Afungi Peninsula in Cabo Delgado prov-
ince. This is a first-of-its-kind LNG facility on the
east coast of Africa. The independently-certified
proven reserves are sufficient to support two initial
LNG trains, each with a capacity of 6 Mtpa, as well
as to accommodate expansions, including multiple
additional trains capable of producing some 50 Mt
of LNG per annum in future years. Mozambique
has been described as the third-largest natural gas
holder in Africa, after Nigeria and Algeria.
“What we learnt four years ago was that if you
are not there, you are not considered seriously.
Afrimat has taken a leap of faith in securing a solid
partnership agreement with a local business entity
in Pemba, and we now have access to various
quarry resources. We have never reneged on our
strategy that we would do this on a partnership
basis, and we now have a local partner as well as
other strategic partners,” Odendaal tells
MQ
.
Afrimat has established an up-and-running
operation at Pemba, which is south of the main
LNG project and is busy looking at including
readymix and possibly precast. It will be able to
supply a complete offering to this project once
it kicks off. “We have invested a lot of effort and
money into getting these resources because on
the Mozambican coast, the first 80-90 km hasn’t
got rock. It’s not like South Africa where we have
an abundance of reasonably to high quality rock
even on the coastal platforms; so one has to be
extremely proactive in how one sources this rock,”
he says. “The rock that one finds, is in some cases,
marginal and of low quality, but we believe that we
have endeavoured to secure the best.”
In terms of the company’s progress in phases,
it has found the partnership, has established an
up-and-running operation and has a key workforce
that comprises expat and local personnel. “This is
our springboard
and basis for offer-
ing whatever ser-
vices are required
in the nor th of
Mozambique. We
have consciously
not entered into
the more popu-
lar southern areas
like Maputo as
these have been
overtraded by the
Chinese and other
entities,” Odendaal
says. “Afrimat fol-
lows a strategy of
identifying a dis-
tinct advantage
when entering into
new areas and this
is either that we are
the first or only sup-
plier or that we pro-
vide a product that
is distinctive and
not readily avail-
able. We are trying
to service that crite-
rion in our strategy
and we believe that we have got it right so far.
“We are currently involved with tenders on
mega projects like the LNG and also others related
to the ports; there are other construction port
efforts that are not necessarily related and also
mining infrastructure.”
He says that Mozambique is either underde-
veloped or neglected. Mining-related activities are
ON THE
COVER
Panoramic view of the Pemba plant which has been upgraded with components
from Afrimat and developed into a 150 t/hour crushing unit. Afrimat has
duplicated a similar 250 t/hour plant, which is due for commissioning shortly.
Ultimately Pemba will soon have a 400 t/hour capacity.
Afrimat has sourced a country manager with vast experience and
business acumen in African projects. Expat Canadian Gerhard Hurst
represents Afrimat for bidding and business development. He is
pictured with Gomes Manuel, who is the logistics coordinator.
Afrimat’s managing director Contracting International,
Gerhard Odendaal (photo Dale Kelly).