Perenti Global Archives - International Mining

Perenti Global Ltd has launched a “new capital light technology-driven service offering” available to the mining and resources industry aimed at providing digital product and technology services to the sectors.

idoba, a name that was co-created using human and artificial intelligence input, connecting the Greek word eidos (essence) and the Japanese term ‘ba’, meaning knowledge obilising space, is also expected to add value to Perenti’s current suite of global mining service offerings, the company said.

Mark Norwell, Managing Director and CEO of Perenti, said: “When looking to the future of the mining industry, it is evident that innovation and technology will play a much greater role in the way we do business and ultimately how we continue to generate value for all our stakeholders.

“With this in mind, it is with great pleasure that we launch idoba, our new technology-driven service business which will enable tomorrow by allowing us to respond to our clients’ evolving needs both today and into the future.”

In March 2019, Perenti published its 2025 Strategy, outlining five strategic pillars to guide business planning, shape the evolution of the company and develop the service offerings available to clients. The five pillars include operational excellence; strategic growth; organisational health; technology-driven future; and building financial capacity.

“Since its release, there has been significant progress made across all pillars, including building the foundations for a technology-driven services model,” the company said.

In July 2020, Perenti acquired Sandpit Innovation and Improvement Resources (a consultancy) and, in April 2021, Optika Solutions (a software product and solutions development company) was also added to the portfolio.

The total cost of these acquisitions was approximately A$13 million ($9.6 million) and includes a strong history of revenue generation, with a combined average annual revenue of circa-A$13 million over the past several years; broad and high-quality client base; significant talent with unique and deep experience across technology and innovation; and a platform for further growth leveraging existing digital systems and processes, Perenti said.

idoba is the culmination of Perenti’s strategic technological growth which, in addition to supporting the Perenti business, will provide digital product and technology service offerings to the mining industry with revenue and earnings generated from these services. Throughout the 2021 financial year, idoba performed to expectations, the company said.

Apart from contributing to Perenti’s revenue and earnings growth in the medium term, Perenti expects to leverage the innovation and technological skill sets of the idoba team to unlock productivity improvements across the company’s current suite of service offerings, the company said.

Sarah Coleman has been appointed Chief Executive Officer of idoba. Coleman is an experienced mining and management consulting executive with an impressive background that spans operations management and improvement, innovation and technology and asset management for a wide range of top-tier mining, oil and gas, manufacturing and health care clients, Perenti said.

Perenti Global’s African Underground Mining Services (AUMS) has secured a new two-year contract to continue operations at AngloGold Ashanti’s Geita Mine in Tanzania.

The two-year agreement will take effect immediately and comes with a value of $186 million (100% share).

As part of the new contract, Perenti will transfer 20% of equity in AUMS Tanzania to a newly created mining support services company called BG Umoja Services Limited. BG Umoja is an 80:20 joint venture between Perenti group entities and local drilling services and mining supply company, Geofields Tanzania Limited, which will supply mining support services to the Geita mine.

The establishment of the BG Umoja JV demonstrates Perenti’s ongoing commitment to support and build local capability, generating enduring social and economic value for the regions in which the company operates, Perenti said.

The Geita Complex is located within the Lake Victoria Goldfields of the Mwanza Region, about 120 km from Mwanza and 4 km west of the town of Geita. The Geita Mine was originally an open-pit operation, however, transitioned to an underground operation in 2016. Since this transition, AUMS has worked collaboratively with AngloGold Ashanti to provide a full suite of integrated underground mining services for the mine.

AUMS Tanzania, supported by Geofields, will continue to provide AngloGold Ashanti with underground mining services while facilitating the development of improved underground mining technical capability within the broader Tanzanian workforce.

Mark Norwell, Managing Director and CEO of Perenti, said: “We are very pleased to be continuing our strong, long-term working relationship with AngloGold Ashanti at their flagship Geita Mine.

“Furthermore, this contract extension includes the addition of Geita Hill, a new underground development within the Geita Complex, which will see a steady increase in our scope of works and revenue run rate as the development ramps up from a single heading decline into multiple work areas and then into production later in 2021. This contract extension is expected to generate an improved earnings contribution for Perenti over the contract term.”

Perenti’s Mining Chief Executive Officer, Paul Muller, said Perenti first started operating in Tanzania in the late 1990s and the award of the contract extension at the Geita mine provided it with an opportunity to continue to partner with, and support numerous local businesses, suppliers and contractors.

“We look forward to expanding on these relationships as we seek to create enduring value and certainty for all of our stakeholders,” he said.

Perenti launches new technology-driven service business

Perenti’s AUMS wins two-year extension at AngloGold’s Geita operation