As a global supplier of engineering solutions for minerals and mining applications, Weir is preparing to showcase its range of solutions for the mining sector at the West African Mining and Power Expo (WAMPEX) in June, with the company aiming to leverage the platform to further strengthen its partnerships across the region.

WAMPEX – to be held in Accra, Ghana, from June 3 to 5 – represents an opportunity for Weir to strengthen its commercial and technical positioning as a long-term locally-embedded partner in West African mining operations.

Expanding on this, Weir West African regional manager Andrew Ayirebi explains that participation in the yearly event is more than just a showcase, offering the opportunity to reinforce the company’s global capability and local delivery strategy, while showcasing sustainable energy efficient technologies relevant to the West African region.

“A key strategic focus for Weir in West Africa is to help customers reduce energy consumption, operating costs and carbon emissions, especially in energy intensive processes such as comminution and slurry handling.”

WAMPEX provides concentrated access to the decision makers responsible for brownfield optimisation projects and greenfields development. Early-stage access to potential projects is central to Weir’s medium-term growth strategy within the West Africa region.

“Rather than transactional selling, Weir uses WAMPEX to build long-cycle relationships with mine owners and operators; engineering, procurement and construction management partners; government and regulatory stakeholders; as well as junior and mid-tier developers advancing new gold, lithium and iron-ore projects within the region.”

Whether it is on greenfield projects or on brownfield projects, Weir fully partners with customers at an early stage to ensure that its solutions are embedded within the critical objective of the mine.

“We collaborate from the front-end to the tail-end of mining operations.”

This comprehensive services offering also assists in ensuring Weir’s solutions are directly aligned with mines in West Africa that are under pressure to improve environmental, social and governance (ESG) performance while maintaining throughput and reliability.

“Weir is continuously demonstrating how its global proven technologies deliver through strong local capabilities and assist West African mines to address today’s pressing operational challenges,” he adds.

Increasingly critical to regional operations is the reduction of rising energy and fuel costs, the management of abrasive ores and mitigating equipment maintenance and downtime, while managing pressures to meet ESG and emissions targets, as well as lead times, amid logistical complexities.

With energy efficiency a top priority for mining operations, Ayirebi highlights Weir’s innovations and equipment solutions, such as the ENDURON high-pressure grinding roll technology, which lowers energy consumption for grinding and milling operations, and delivers measurable improvements in operational efficiency, cost savings and carbon emissions reduction.

He further points to the company’s WARMAN WRT impeller and throatbush combination, which assists in reducing the amount of power drawn for every tonne of slurry pumped and extends the wear life of equipment parts in harsh operating conditions, ultimately improving water and energy efficiency in gold and other commodity mining operations.

The group’s regional configured-to-order model further contributes to reduced lead times and improved supply chain stability.

A differentiator for Weir is its fully local operations in Ghana and Senegal, as well as active footprints across Mali, Côte d’Ivoire and Nigeria.



Ayirebi highlights that key to Weir’s strategy is developing solutions for the operational pain points and other challenges that keep customers and potential customers awake at night.



“Early engagement on future-ready processing strategies and decisions made at the design stage always have a lasting impact on operational efficiency, sustainability, performance and long-term resilience.

“By combining proven technology with strong local capability, we help customers to optimise existing operations, derisk new projects and support performance across the full asset life cycle,” concludes Ayirebi.