Modern Mining October 2016

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MODERN MINING

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October 2016

SAFETY IN MINING

feature

ourens stresses that becoming ex-

pert in the PDS field is not some-

thing that happens overnight. “We

now have 10 years of experience

in developing and installing PDS

technology and we consistently spend be-

tween 5 and 10 % of our turnover on R&D,”

he says. “Our technology has been improved

over the years based on the continual feedback

we receive from customers and we believe that

our systems rank among the best in the world.

But we’re certainly not complacent. Although

our products are at a level of maturity, we rec-

ognise that technology does not stand still and

that maintaining our market-leading position

will necessitate a continuing heavy invest-

ment in R&D.”

He adds that even with all its experience,

Booyco continues to learn. “We find that we

are constantly encountering new challenges

because every mine is unique. There is no such

thing as a simple off-the-shelf solution when it

comes to PDS technology.”

Outlining the fortunes of Booyco Electronics

since its founding, Lourens says that it has

experienced year-on-year growth every year

since 2006 and adds that this trend has not been

upset even by the current severe recession in

mining. “Safety has been a top priority in min-

ing for at least the past couple of decades,” he

Booyco at the forefront

of a

Anton Lourens pictured on

the Booyco Electronics stand

at the recent Electra Mining

Africa show.

Booyco Electronics spends between 5 and 10 % of its turnover on R&D.

One of the pioneers of PDS (Proximity Detection Systems) technol-

ogy in South Africa is Booyco Electronics, which has been in business

since 2006. When the company was first established, it had only a

handful of competitors but today the field has become intensely

crowded with as many as 30 suppliers of PDS technology operat-

ing locally. “Most of these companies have no real track record,”

cautions Anton Lourens, MD of Booyco Electronics. “They’ve simply

been attracted to the PDS market by the fact that installation of PDS

systems in South Africa’s mines is nowmandatory, following revi-

sions to the Mine Health and Safety Act gazetted in February 2015.”