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Constructon and engineering group Murray & Roberts says its global contract-mining operations are poised to benefit from the mineral-commodities boom, which the company expects will persist for “at least the next five to seven years”. Writing in the group’s annual report for 2006, CE Brian Bruce reports that Murray & Robert’s mine-construction and development operations in the Southern African Development Community region, Canada and Australia are well positioned to benefit from growth opportunities in the domestic and global mineral-commodities markets.“Global growth, particularly in and from the eastern hemisphere, continues to place heavy demand into the natural-resources sector.“Indications are that this will continue for at least the next five to seven years before reaching a new level of sustainable demand.“This bodes well for further development of a global resources focus in the group,” says Bruce.Meanwhile, demand for metals and minerals continues to exceed installed delivery capacity and resource prices have risen to record highs.“Capital expenditure by mining houses in our largest market – South Africa – has firmed appreciably, but still without the expected growth,” states Bruce.South Africa remains the group’s primary mining contracting market.It experienced increased activity in both the base-metals and precious-metals markets during the year under review.Platinum continued to offer the best opportunity, as the world’s two largest South Africa-based producers of the precious metal – Anglo Platinum and Impala Platinum – invested in expansion and replacement projects to meet global demand.There was also increased activity in the gold-mining sector, largely as a result of the stronger gold price and “an element of acclimatisation to a stronger rand environment”.In Africa, Murray & Roberts Cementation targets established mining markets with multiple project opportunities, including Ghana, Tanzania, Zambia and Botswana, where demand for diamonds is generating renewed activity.Mine development, which contributes 45% of the group’s revenue in South Africa, continued on the Impala Platinum No 20 shaft, Lonmin’s Karee 4 twin shaft and the Anglo Platinum Turffontein decline shaft project, in the Rustenburg area.A new R600-million contract was also secured on the Paardekraal double shaft project for Anglo Platinum and a development contract was secured for the Barplats platinum mine, near Brits.The Kroondal platinum mine continues to be the mainstay of activity in contract mining, accounting for almost 40% of South African revenue.The remainder of business in South Africa is focused on small specialised projects, which include exploration drilling, raise drilling and cementation work.The development of a fourth shaft at Kroondal is currently under adjudication.According to the annual report, Murray & Roberts Cementation is also the preferred contractor to build and contract for the new Blueridge mine, near Groblersdal.Bruce also reports that RUC Mining Contrac-tors, in Australia, reaped the benefits of ongoing buoyancy in the highly-mechanised Australian underground-mining sector, reporting revenues of R146,5-million, compared to R115,2-million in 2005, and operating profits of R20,1-million, up from R11,7-million.Cementation Canada exceeded key financial targets in an active market, delivering revenues of R657,3-million, compared with R547,1-million in 2005, and operating profits of R43,9-million (2005: R24,7-million), at an operating profit margin of 6,7%.
Backhoes are cleared to start digging at three sites across the WSU statewide system, including a new golf-course clubhouse in Pullman. Designed to seat 100 people with spillover onto a patio and a tented area, the $4-million clubhouse will sit at the base of the 18-hole golf course now under construction near the Student Recreation Center. Ken Alhadeff, chairman of the WSU Board of Regents, said that as a golfer, he thought the seating capacity was too little for the average 140-person golf tournament. If you had 150 capacity, you would be safe for a long time, he said. Nevertheless, Alhadeff and the Board of Regents approved the projects design at their meeting Friday in Spokane. With a pro shop, dining area and bar, the 7,200-square-foot clubhouse could double as a location for weddings, Jerry Schlatter, associate vice president of Capital Planning and Development, told WSUs highest governing body.
HUNTINGTON BEACH Negotiations have crumbled in a lawsuit challenging a city ordinance that could force mobile home park owners to pay residents millions of dollars if they shut down their parks. Mayor Dave Sullivan on Monday night told a crowd of mobile home residents that the city would defend the law in court. "I'm just about tickled speechless," mobile home resident Steve Gullage, 54, said at the City Council meeting. "There are parks all over the state that are going to be affected by this council," said Gullage, president of the Huntington Beach Mobile Home Association. "If we are successful, similar ordinances will be sprouting up all over the state." Owners of three area mobile home parks are among a group that sued the city in June -- less than two years after the law was adopted to protect the city's roughly 6,000 mobile home residents and to preserve the 17 mobile home parks as low-cost housing.
The notion of providing tax breaks for modular housing on the Gulf Coast as a means to provide fast, affordable housing for victims of Hurricane Katrina has seemed a no-brainer. Gov. Haley Barbour, in calling today's special legislative session to address that one issue, has said that this tax break will reduce the cost of new homes for Coast families by $4,000 to $6,000 per home. "The number one priority and challenge in Mississippi caused by Katrina is housing," Barbour said. "We must act now to remove barriers to building housing on the Gulf Coast, and reducing the tax on modular homes is a necessary step toward that end." But House Speaker Billy McCoy, who did not push his chamber to take up the modular housing tax break in the previous special session, has expressed concern that the tax break won't benefit homeowners but contractors or modular home manufacturers.
Recognizing the danger presented to the public by defective vehicle equipment, troopers will concentrate their efforts on vehicles being operated with defects such as bad brakes, worn tires, and defective lighting equipment, In addition, attention will be directed to drivers who would violate the driver license laws of Florida. The Patrol has found these checkpoints to be an effective means of enforcing the equipment and driver license laws of Florida while insuring the protection of all motorists. Ongoing construction projects Motorists are reminded to wear safety belts and drive with caution, courtesy, common sense, and patience as they travel through work zones. Remember, speeding fines are doubled in work zones. DeSoto County U.S.
More creepy than criminal, a human skull was unearthed from beneath a backyard in Bethlehem, Pa. A landscaper digging up shrubs discovered the remains and called police. Officers, Northampton County Coroner Zachary Lysek and others continued digging for more bones into the afternoon. Lysek said he found other small artifacts but nothing too significant. He said the skull, just 18 inches below the ground, must have risen toward the surface after being there for quite some time. The coroner didn't immediately expect anything suspicious, and Bethlehem police believe there will be no need for any criminal investigation. Lysek said similar items have been dug up before in the surrounding area, just 50 yards or so from Moravian Cemetery.
Q . I have purchased a mobile home only to find it has major roof problems. Being on a limited budget -- and unable to secure another loan -- I am hoping to find an inexpensive alternative to having it fixed professionally. Do you need a license or permit when putting on a new roof? A . Your situation is a classic example of why you need to have a home inspected prior to purchase. I'm sure someone knew the roof had problems but simply forgot to tell you. I know, too, what it's like to live on a limited budget and I know that when you try to cut corners to get a better deal you usually end up with the short end of the stick. Too often a homebuyer will overextend his borrowing capacity for a home only to discover too late that he can't afford to make the repairs necessary to move into the home.
Today's topic: A story by Northwestern reporter Pat Wolff shows how the residents of a Berlin mobile home park learned -- with the rest of the public -- that the Wal-Mart across their street will actually be replaced by a Wal-Mart Supercenter on the land where they now live.
The residents knew Morgan Manor mobile home park was a goner. But it was in a city of Berlin and Wal-Mart corporate annoucement they found out what would displace them.
What do you think?
Does the economic surge Berlin can expect from a Supercenter justify Morgan Manor's demise? Or, are Morgan Manor residents getting disrespected here?
The OshKonversation is ready for your input...
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