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30 OMNIA ANNUAL REPORT <strong>2010</strong> OMNIA MINING DIVISION – REVIEW continued<br />

Overview of Mining<br />

The Mining division is a leading supplier of explosives, initiating<br />

systems, blasting technology and mining chemicals to the open<br />

cast and deep level mining industries in South Africa.<br />

The division is highly regarded for its expertise in creating<br />

solutions for the industry through the specialist technical support<br />

it offers customers within the mining sector.<br />

Financial performance<br />

Revenue reduced by 16% to R1,8 billion (2009: R2,1 billion),<br />

the main driver being the reduction in prices compared to those<br />

that prevailed during the previous financial year and the strong<br />

rand. Annual volumes declined only marginally due to volume<br />

recovery towards the end of the financial year. Operating profit,<br />

at R212 million (2009: R269 million), is 21% below that<br />

of the extraordinary 2009 year, with the operating margin<br />

showing a marginal decrease from 12,7% for the year ended<br />

31 March 2009, to 11,9% for the year under review.<br />

Operational performance<br />

The impact of the ongoing global recession and declining<br />

demand for commodities acted negatively on the production<br />

levels of the division’s customers, and, in turn, on the Omnia<br />

Mining division. Lower commodity prices and a strong rand<br />

impacted negatively on both international and local sales of<br />

explosives and allied products for the year under review.<br />

Against this background increasing overhead costs put further<br />

pressure on operating margins.<br />

Demand for explosives in most mining sectors reduced<br />

substantially. The exception was coal, uranium and gold mining<br />

where the increased demand buffered the effect of the overall<br />

slower market. Demand for products was reduced by many major<br />

national infrastructure projects coming to an end. Sales volumes,<br />

especially in underground mines were further impacted by<br />

extended mine closure by government due to mining accidents.<br />

The situation began to improve towards the end of the financial<br />

year when improved commodity prices started to filter through<br />

to increased mining activity in most mining sectors.<br />

Locally, BME won a major contract with Xstrata Coal, one of<br />

South Africa’s largest coal mining companies. This will contribute<br />

to increased volume sales in the year to come. Several other<br />

contracts are being finalised and will contribute to what is<br />

anticipated to be a better year for BME.<br />

BME’s core market has long been explosives for open cast<br />

mines where operators favour the use of shocktube and<br />

electronic detonation systems. Deep level miners have favoured<br />

the traditional “fuse and ignitor cord” system and have been<br />

slow to accept shocktube initiation systems. However, this has<br />

begun to change as underground miners have come to<br />

appreciate the advantages of modern shocktube initiation<br />

systems which include better safety for miners, more controlled<br />

blasts in confined areas and improved fragmentation of ore<br />

bearing rock.<br />

BME’s reputation as a leading technical partner with specialist<br />

expertise in blast technology based on high customer service<br />

levels, will be a major benefit as the drive to increase<br />

BME’s share of the underground market gains impetus.<br />

BME’s in-house expertise, which is complemented by<br />

sophisticated computer-based tools, is welcomed by new<br />

customers who often do not have the required skills within<br />

their own workforces.<br />

BME adds further value as a technical partner by offering<br />

mini-seminars for customers on explosives and explosives<br />

techniques. An <strong><strong>annu</strong>al</strong> conference, the only one of its kind in<br />

the local industry, enlightens customers on new developments<br />

in products and their application, while a regular technical<br />

newsletter offers customers practical information and updates.<br />

A new training centre near Emalahleni (previously Witbank) is<br />

reinforcing in-house skills by providing BME staff with advanced<br />

training in the safe use of BME products. In due course, these<br />

facilities will be opened to customers.<br />

Research into the development of improved explosives<br />

solutions is ongoing and has resulted in a number of<br />

innovative products and services being introduced in the<br />

South African market.<br />

BME has been a world leader in the use of used oil in emulsion<br />

explosives and substantial progress has been made in further<br />

increasing the content of used oil.<br />

Pumpable emulsion technology, a viable alternative to long<br />

established ammonium nitrate and fuel oil based (ANFO)<br />

explosives in underground mining, also provides innovative,<br />

safer solutions for traditional mining challenges. BME has<br />

developed lightweight small pumps for use in narrow-reef<br />

stopes coupled with easily transportable emulsion bladders for<br />

transferring emulsion into the stopes. The emulsion is only<br />

sensitized when it is pumped into the blastholes. This presents<br />

miners with significant safety benefits, particularly when they<br />

are working in confined stopes on narrow underground reefs

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