Emma Muller
15 January 2008
Johannesburg — INVESTMENT banking sounds relatively mundane compared with leading a convoy of 17 trucks with earth movers, mining equipment and fuel through three countries to develop a high-value diamond mine in the middle of the Congo.
Pangea Diamond Fields, the AIM-listed mining company run by South African entrepreneur Rob Still, did just that after sending a reconnaissance team on a 4700km trek to the Longatshimo River last July to open a supply route from SA to the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
It was the first time a mining company had opened up a new supply road for equipment spares and other goods from SA to the remote southern Congolese area to which other junior miners struggle to move equipment.
The new route enables Pangea to supply its developing mines in the southern Congo from northern Angola.
Transporting heavy bulk sampling equipment is possible by sea to the Congolese port of Matadi and then by river barges and overland legs south on the river systems, or by air and then overland to the site.
But Pangea says these options were considered impractical due to time and cost constraints in the case of air freight as well as the increased risk to cargo due to the number of trans-shipping points.
"One of the other risks presented by going the traditional Matadi route was that the availability of the equipment required to transfer and transport the size of loads that a plant of this nature requires could not be verified," says Pangea engineering manager Boris Kamstra.
Others say that sending machinery by sea often means it gets stuck in port for months, while river crossings are problematic due to the poor state of repair of bridges and ferries.
The main convoy, carrying massive equipment to build a bulk sampling plant and water and electricity facilities, left SA in August, having dealt with a few interesting hurdles.
At the outset, Pangea Diamond Fields (PDF) needed Angola's permission to send a complete diamond bulk-sampling plant into the country's prime diamond area on the premise that the company would transport it over a bridge that could not carry the weight, along a partially navigable track and through a nonexistent border post.
Angolan authorities were concerned about illegal diamond mining operations, and wanted to be sure the plant would not end up operating in Angola.
Realising that this might be a tough call without some verification from Congolese authorities, PDF approached officials to convince them.
Having received permission from rather suspicious officials, the team then had to try and survey the route before sending the reconnaissance team on their way.
On both sides of the border the last 30km of each side proved to be impossible as both PDF's surveyors were apprehended by the authorities and turned around.
But as the 17 trucks finally headed through Namibia, over the south Angolan border towards northern Congo to their final destination, Kamstra, who was tasked with sourcing and moving the plant to the site, reported: "It will get there, just lots of sweat, stress and encouragement between then and now. Luanda today, Dundo soon, Kamonia next."
Kamstra used a combination of satellite tracking devices fixed to key components and Google Earth to monitor the fleet inching forwards through the chaos of Africa's roads, extreme weather and dubious border practices.
"Are they prepared to wake up and still head north, knowing it will be the same as yesterday, hoping it will get better?"
Kamstra reported at various stages during the journey while the real heroes on the ground dealt with equipment breakdowns, heavy rain, communications breakdowns and a temporary closure of the Angola-Congo border due to an Ebola virus outbreak in central Congo.
At times the convoy achieved only a few kilometres a day.
By the end of October, almost two months since leaving SA, the journey entered its final phase. Kamstra reported another nightmare week with trucks breaking down and tipping over, flights grounded, a case of malaria, satellite communications going down and truck owners threatening to bolt -- yet again.
Kamstra says many of the truck drivers underestimated how long it would take. "Some had not been there before, and only heard the tales of horror from returning truckers. I think there was also a certain degree of cabin fever; a bit like Survivor but you can't get rid of anyone."
On December 19 , the final vehicle arrived on site, just a few weeks behind schedule.
In its latest update, issued last Thursday, Pangea says the operational team is constructing the plant on site at Longatshimo. Commissioning is on schedule for next month.
Depending on bulk sampling results, the deposit, covering about 400km', is expected initially to produce 192000 carats a year of high-quality gems.
Pangea CEO Rob Still declines to say what the expedition cost, but says: "It was definitely worth it from our perspective. Opening this strategic logistics corridor represents a major leap forwards in the development of our southern (Congolese) projects at Longashima and Tshikapa."
Still says the company can now produce larger samples to test the richness of the area, which he believes has huge potential, and use this new strategic logistics corridor to develop its mines to commercial scale.
Pangea Diamond Fields also has production and exploration in the Central African Republic, Angola and SA.
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