January 2016
MODERN MINING
9
MINING News
West Africa back to business at WAMPEX 2016
The West African Mining and Power
Exhibition (WAMPEX) and Conference 2016,
an international expo for suppliers of equip-
ment, technology, services and consumables
to West Africa’s rapidly growing power
and mining sectors, is to take place from 1
to 3 June 2016 at the Accra International
Conference Centre in Accra, Ghana.
Held every two years, the last Wampex
in 2014 hosted an impressive 140 exhibi-
tors from 16 countries, and the organisers
believe the 2016 event could be even bigger.
“West Africa is still one of the biggest
and fastest-growing industrial, mining
and power generation markets in the
world,” says John Thomson of Exhibition
Management Services, the company which
organises WAMPEX (in association with EPI
Events and Projects International Limited).
“The region has massive gold, copper and
iron ore deposits and hundreds of mining
projects underway at any given time, all
with heavy electricity demands. The Toronto
Stock Exchange currently lists about 150
mining projects in the area.”
Regional governments, private sector
companies, investors and entrepreneurs
useWAMPEX as a platform to broaden busi-
ness links, expand supplier and customer
networks and access the ever-growing
opportunities in West African countries.
“WAMPEX enables all stakeholders to
develop and strengthen relationships, stay
up-to-date with the latest products, ser-
vices and technologies – and sign deals! This
extraordinary expo has a successful 22-year
history of delivering results,”adds Thomson.
“WAMPEX is certainly the largest and
most effective business platform available
for the mining and power sectors in the
sub region,” says Sivnesh Kuma, General
Manager of Interplast Ghana, which has
exhibited at every WAMPEX for over a
decade. “In addition, the collaboration
betweenWAMPEX and the Ghana Chamber
of Mines gives exhibitors such as Interplast
the advantage of direct contact with spe-
cific mining projects and the professionals
involved.”
The Ghana Chamber of Mines is one of
several organisations that actively endorse
and support WAMPEX. Ghana’s Ministry of
Energy and Ministry of Lands and Natural
Resources, the Minerals Commission of
Ghana, the Volta River Authority and the
Electricity Company of Ghana are also active
endorsers of the event.
Further information is available from
Serean at Exhibition Management Services,
tel (+27 11) 783-7250, e-mail:
marketing@
exhibitionsafrica.comor from website
www.
exhibitionsafrica.com.
Kombat Copper Inc, listed on the TSX-V,
has signed a Memorandum of Agreement
with a Namibian-based company to fast
track scaled production of lead minerali-
sation from the Kombat mine in northern
Namibia. A due diligence period is in effect.
Bill Nielsen, President and CEO of
Kombat Copper, commented: “This agree-
ment represents a positive step forward
for the company in what has been a
challenging sector leading to a low com-
modity price environment. We will benefit
from this partnership as we now have the
potential to start generating income
from the Kombat property as our partner
starts a scaled mining approach while
we support the project with our exten-
sive infrastructure and knowledge of the
Kombat deposit.
“It will also be setting the stage for
the company to be in a sound financial
position to enter detailed technical engi-
neering studies on other areas of the
Kombat mine. As well, this agreement
maintains activity on the mine site, facili-
tates our mining licence and brings local
employment and labour to the area.”
Kombat Copper expects that its partner
will focus on the Kombat East area looking
at both underground and surface mining
of known occurrences of significant lead
mineralisation. They will also be assessing
the Gross Otavi deposit located 10 km to
the west of the Kombat mine. The Kombat
East area has shaft and ramp access,
which will allow for a relatively quick start
up of operations. The Kombat mill is to
be refurbished by its partner to produce
lead concentrates.
Agreement envisages lead production at Kombat
A section through the Kombat mine. Kombat Copper expects that its partner will focus on the Kombat East area looking at both underground and surface mining of
known occurrences of significant lead mineralisation.