Swedish mining firms for Electra Expo

KEIKANTSE LESEMELA
Correspondent | Friday August 2, 2013 00:00

'Almost all the companies I visited were showing interest to come to Botswana for the exhibition,' said Soapbox Communications director Vuyiswa Mojela, who just returned from Northern Sweden's VŠsterbotten Province. The expo exists to showcase mining technologies and facilitate connections between mine operators and the mining equipment and supply industry.She said they want to attract exhibitors and delegates from the European market, and chose Sweden because it has some of the biggest manufacturers of mining, industrial and electrical equipment. Popular mining and construction equipment brands from Sweden include ABB, Atlas Copco, Sandvik, Volvo, Scania and Orica Mining Services.Of recent, the government of Sweden has been undertaking a market study of opportunities with an eye on business partnerships with Botswana mining companies as part of its development cooperation initiatives. Sweden is the largest producer of iron ore and copper, zinc, lead, gold and silver in the European Union.

The Scandinavian country has 14 operational mines of various minerals.  Already, Botswana has made strides with Sweden through cooperation in the field of geological survey. The Geological Survey of Sweden, the government agency responsible for all issues pertaining to soil, groundwater, bedrock formations, minerals and the general physical environment, has provided technical support to Botswana's Geological Survey Department in the past.Through a partner-driven project sponsored by the Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA), Botswana continues to benefit from Swedish geological expertise. The Swedes have pledged P3 million in mining grants and training/capacity-building projects for Botswana between 2011 and 2013.

The Electra Mining Botswana Expo will be the third major mining conference and exhibition event on the Botswana calendar, in addition to the annual Coal Conference and the Resources Sector Conference, usually held in April and June respectively.In an effort to attract a diverse global representation, organisers are targeting 400 delegates and about 2,000 walk-ins at the exhibition and conference respectively.