MINING NEWS
SRK Consulting opens new office in Bloemfontein After running a solo operation in the Free State for several years, SRK Consulting South Africa’s Dr Herman Booysen, first to the agriculture sector. “There are significant opportunities to use the same methodologies, modelling and expertise in agriculture as we do in mining,” he says.
associate partner and principal scientist in disaster and risk management, is now heading up a three-person team with new offices in Bloemfontein. Supported by Mareli Hugo in the risk management field and Louis de Villiers, dealing with environmental matters, Booysen is now able to start developing a regional client base in the Free State and Northern Cape. His projects to date have taken him all over the country, but with the new office structure, he will now be able to focus closer to home. In addition to mining projects, Booysen is looking to expand the sectors in which he can apply his specific skill set and is looking
These opportunities include disaster and risk assessment, mainly relating to climate change, specifically water stewardship, flood risk assessment and water safety plans. Booysen is currently busy with a research project around flood risk. There are many institutions, including the Department of Water Affairs and Sanitation, and the National Disaster Management Authority who have a need for predictors and risk mitigation measures in the event of flooding, making Booysen’s work and expertise on the ground invaluable. n
SRK Consulting South Africa’s Dr Herman Booysen.
Seriti Green and Eskom mark handover of Vunumoya Main Transmission Station
Aurum advances Boundiali toward development
Seriti Green, together with Eskom and its subsidiary, the National Transmission Company South Africa (NTCSA), recently announced the formal handover of the Vunumoya Main Transmission Station (MTS) by Seriti Green to Eskom. This investment of more than R1 billion, delivered over 18 months, represents a major grid-enabling asset that will support one of South Africa’s largest renewable energy developments. The handover confirms that the Vunumoya MTS is fully energised, operational and integrated into the national grid. It also enables the first 155MW of wind energy from Seriti Green’s Ummbila Emoyeni One Wind Energy Facility to be fed into the system ahead of schedule, marking the beginning of a 900MW programme that will progressively add further renewable capacity. Speaking at the handover ceremony, Seriti Group CEO Mike Teke said the milestone demonstrates what coordinated delivery can achieve for South Africa’s evolving energy landscape. “The handover of the Vunumoya Main Transmission Station demonstrates what effective partnership can achieve. This is a meaningful milestone for South Africa’s energy transition and for Mpumalanga’s future as a renewable energy hub. Seriti is proud to be playing a role in building the infrastructure that supports a more secure and sustainable national energy system,” Teke said. n
ASX-listed Aurum Resources has reached a significant regulatory milestone at its flagship Boundiali Gold Project in Côte d'Ivoire. Following the recent lodgement of two applications in December 2025, the company now has three mining exploitation licence applications on foot with the Côte d’Ivoire Ministry of Mines, Petroleum and Energy. The lodgement of applications for the BD (130.38km²) and BM (274.93km²) mining licences in December 2025 joins the existing BST (167.36km²) application submitted in March 2025. This comprehensive application footprint underscores Aurum’s confidence in Boundiali’s potential as a large-scale, modern open-pit mining operation. Aurum’s Managing Director Dr. Caigen Wang said: “The rapid transition from exploration to mining licence applications across our entire Boundiali footprint is a testament to the quality of our assets and the efficiency of our team. In 2025, we grew our resource from 1.59 moz to 2.41 moz and completed over 108 000m of drilling at Boundiali. With $40m in the bank and a clear pathway to a Definitive Feasibility Study (DFS) in late 2026, we are perfectly positioned to deliver significant value this year." n
Seriti Green and Eskom handed over the Vunumoya Main Transmission Station.
8 MODERN MINING www.modernminingmagazine.co.za | February 2026
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