Getting It Under Control - Namibia's mine operators are focusing on efficiency, and doing it by the numbers

摘要

The West African nation of Namibia has ample resources of diamonds and uranium - two of the most sought-after commodities in today's minerals market. In turn, Namibia-based producers are seeking commodities of an entirely different type: high-tech plant control, automation, and reporting systems that will allow them to maximize production and profit in the current boom. Diamond miner Namdeb, a business partnership inaugurated in 1994 between the government of Namibia and De Beers Centenary AG, is the largest exporter in Namibia with annual shipments accounting for more than 30% of Namibia's total exports and 10% of its gross domestic product (GDP). The company has recently invested substantial capital to find new reserves and to discover ways of economically mining and treating previously uneconomic reserves.