DIGEST 2006 - Sabita

Optimising resource utilisation:
Aggregate supply to the road
construction sector
Alex Weideman
Product Technical Manager
Holcim SA (Pty) Ltd
Wideranging questions
have been raised
about the ability of the
aggregate industry to meet
increased demand in the road
construction industry –
questions which cannot be
examined without reflecting on
the past.
The aggregate industry is part of
the construction industry, which
went through a long period of low
demand, starting in the mid
eighties. This caused
a number of plants to
be shut down or
mothballed, and
others were forced to
rationalise if they
were to stay in
business, and
minimal investment
in existing and new
plants took place.
With the sudden
unprecedented
growth in the market over the last
two years, shortages in certain
products have been experienced.
Admittedly, there has been a lot of
talk about the shortfall of material
supply, and the aggregate
industry has invested significant
funds in recent years in the
refurbishment and upgrading of
existing plants. In addition, a large
number of mobile plants that could
help alleviate the shortage of
materials have been imported, but
there are concerns that some of
these plants may be used in
non-regulated mining areas.
Rest assured, the
aggregate
industry does
have more than
enough reserves
to cope with the
increased
demand. Most
commercial
operations have at
least a 10-year
mining plan. In
the short-term
certain operators might have to
invest in their quarries to open the
mine up for good quality material,
but no shortage should be
experienced.
The aggregate
industry has
more than
enough reserves
to cope with
the increased
demand
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