Global drones-as-a-service provider, Delta Drone International Limited (DLT) will stay on as the drone surveyor of choice for South African mining giant Assmang Proprietary Limited’s Khumani Iron Ore Mine, after the two announced a renewal of their working partnership for at least three more years.

Worth at least R10.347million (about $620,000), the contract will see Delta Drone International conduct drone-based survey and mapping operations, alongside blast inspections around Assmang’s Khumani iron ore mine.

Assmang is a major ferrous metals miner and processor in South Africa operating across iron ore, manganese and chrome, and its Khumani operations concentrate on extracting iron ore from the ground.

Located in South Africa’s Northern Cape Province, Khumani mines its iron through a series of open pits by means of conventional drilling, blasting and loading onto trucks, followed by hauling to either of the Bruce and King primary and secondary crushing facilities.

For open pit mining, drone technology can be used for survey and mapping, checking structural integrity, as well as measuring mining ore volumes.

By 2016, the Khumani mine was producing 14 million tons of ore after expanding project was complete.

From the pits, the ore is transferred by means of overland conveyors and stockpiled onto blending beds that divide the material into two categories, on- and off-grade material, before reaching the Parsons Beneficiation Plant.

Incorporated in 1935, the Assmang Group employs 6,567 permanent employees and operates as three divisions, namely iron ore, manganese and chrome. Assmang is controlled jointly by Assore Limited and African Rainbow Minerals. Both shareholders are listed on the JSE Limited.

“We are very pleased to have renewed our services for a further 3-years with Khumani mine who are a leading player in the Iron Ore mining sector,” said Christopher Clark, DLT CEO. “This contract materially grows our recently reported ARR to an effective AU$1,993k ARR at end of July.”