The Railway in the DRC for AVZ purposes has challenges depending on how we go with product refinement. If we go to processing on site, then the rail we have now would be sufficient. In exporting processed material, we fall risk to looters along the way and either need to have the goods heavily secured in their wagons and likely security onboard. Secured, locked and potentially alarmed containers would be the go feeding from a satellite in-cab feed. Trains all tracked by GPS (Starlink thanks Elon?) and monitored by a network controller. The controller can identify if a train has not met the waypoint in the case where a train derails (it happens), brakes down, someone is hurt or the rail becomes impassable.
It would be useful to have a hi rail truck (or drone if someone is smart enough) that runs ahead of the train recording track conditions and identifying problems before the train hits to prevent potential derailment at high speeds - a major hazard for the business. I foresee locals attempting to block the rail to stop the train and loot it as being a problem at least once.
A standard gauge rail with higher speed trains is possible, reducing time in transit and risk of loss to looters etc. The track would likely need improvements to be continuously welded.
The system would not be expensive to set up and operate considering our ROI as a business - and would likely reduce insurance premiums for the business. Adjustments would need to be made to the track, it is wide gauge from what I can see and designed for slow, heavy freight.
If we export unrefined, the volume is much obviously much higher. I have not looked at the grades however at a guess would be looking at trains with a maximum of 2000 tonne, if the geography is anything like the steep landscape we have here in NZ is.
I would suggest AVZ go with something similar to the coal wagons where feed is loaded straight onto the wagon and sealed from the top for movement to the refinement location prior to onboarding at port.
There is less danger of small scale theft of feed, it is harder to convert to export grade product so less need for any sort of security onboard. It would make sense still, to have the trains tracked and monitored as this information becomes vital for planning of plant at the refinement center and port loading estimations.
No need to alter rail gauge would be necessary but if the rail is Chinese I would be looking at the rail itself - they have been exporting rail out of China for several years now which has hollow air pockets in it, which when regular heavy loadings pass over them can cause the rail to buckle or dip, increasing potential for derailment or even for trains to move excessively and damaging the consists. We have had that in NZ and just had to re-rail around 30km of dual main track as a result.
In both instances, I would absolutely avoid Chinese locomotives for the DRC - the Chinese locomotives I have dealt with underperform on steep grades, engines overheating during summer (>25C) and unable to climb in the wet where they slip and slide (they are rated for 1250T here but struggle with 1150T). The locomotives we were sent had walls filled with asbestos, which they used as insulation to save on costs at the detriment of staff in the field. When we requested it be removed, rather than teaching our guys how to do it they sent over their own teams from China and paid them less than our minimum wage.
I was waiting for Nigel to confirm the exact route of export (there are still two options on the table if I am not mistaken, Dar Es Salaam and Lubumbashi?) before taking a specific look at the rail and the route. I believe Dar Es Salaam involves a river crossing and makes more sense for on-site refinement, Lubumbashi makes more sense for unrefined. I was thinking the announcement of location of loading would also give me an indication of the intent to refine on site at Manono or not?
and lots of moderation.
